Host province: Ramazan package for 300,000 IDPs announced

Encouraging negotiations, Shah Farman claims use of force is not a solution.

PESHAWAR:

Senior Minister Sirajul Haq announced a Ramazan relief package for internally displaced persons (IDP) and said they would also be provided SIMs to contact their loved ones scattered across the country.

He was speaking alongside Minister for Health Shahram Khan Tarakai and Minister for Information Shah Farman at a news conference at the premises of the K-P Assembly on Saturday.

The ministers said 300,000 residents of North Waziristan have arrived in the province and the influx of IDPs is likely to accelerate.

“We were not taken on board nor was any roadmap provided to us regarding the military operation, however, the IDPs are a burden on our province for whose relief the government is taking steps,” senior minister Haq added.

He said the sacrifices of the tribal people are not hidden from anyone and yet they have again migrated from their homeland, leaving behind their belongings.

Blaming the flawed policies of previous governments for the current crisis, Tarakai said, “From day one, the provincial coalition government has agreed to provide all essential facilities to IDPs who are our guests.” He added Rs350 million has been released by the provincial government for their relief.

The health minister said Rs3,000 will also be given to IDPs who are living in rented houses to help them pay their dues and asked landlords not to raise the rent. “Emergency has been imposed in all the hospitals of Bannu and leaves of all staff have been cancelled,” he said.

Farman said IDPs are being provided free transport and schools have been opened for them. “We don’t need any help from international NGOs,” the information minister claimed.

He reiterated that the provincial government’s stance on negotiations for the restoration of peace is unchanged, saying the use of force is in no way a permanent solution to the mayhem. However, he said, the government’s focus at the time is providing timely relief to IDPs.

Assembly session

The opposition came down hard on government’s policies in terms of finance and development schemes in the recently-unveiled budget and said they have devised a unanimous strategy for giving a tough time to the ruling parties.

In order to tackle the opposition’s onslaught, the treasury benches have planned to strengthen their presence in the house with Chief Minister Pervez Khattak being present throughout the session on Saturday which has been convened for approving the new fiscal year’s budget.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 22^nd, 2014.