Pause in strikes as North Waziristan empties out

394,319 civilians have been displaced by military operation in the troubled region.

ISLAMABAD: Some 31,264 families and 394,319 civilians have been displaced from North Waziristan Agency (NWA) since the military launched its Zarb-e-Azb operation against militants last week.

These figures are based on the daily situation reports issued by chief secretary control room established at Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), according to a handout issued on Sunday by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s (K-P) Information Directorate.

On Sunday, the army temporarily halted its air strikes in North Waziristan Agency (NWA) in a bid to allow the civilian population to leave the troubled region before the offensive becomes fiercer.

A military official confirmed to The Express Tribune that there were no air strikes carried out and the main reason for the ‘pause’ was to give more time to civilians to move out of the restive agency. Authorities are expecting the exodus of tribesmen to continue on Monday (today).

Speaking to The Express Tribune, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Member Operations Brig Mirza Kamran Zia said the main camp being established at Baka Khel in Bannu has the capacity to facilitate up to 200,000 IDPs and provides shelter, health, wash-rooms, mosques, electricity, water along with cooked food.

At present, only 20 families have registered themselves at the camp so far, he added. Lack of credible information and the tendency of the displaced population to stay with host families or rented space have served as deterrents.

Mirza said although the turnout had been low, the management authority was still making additional arrangements to expand the camp.

“Camps were set up the day operation started. We are providing food and financial assistance to all people registering checkpoints,” he added.

He said so far 30,000 families had crossed over and these people were provided free transport for daily evacuations. “If you include people who crossed over earlier, prior to June 14 than an additional couple of thousand families can be added,” said Mirza.

Meanwhile, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has requested the government for an immediate release of 60,000 ton of wheat to meet emerging food demands of the IDPs. So far, the WFP Pakistan is the only UN agency that the government has requested assistance from.

Presently, the WFP claims to have sufficient food supplies to support an additional 200,000 to 300,000 IDPs. The WFP, while utilising 150,000 tons of wheat from previous reserves, has also used an additional 26,000 tons of wheat that has been given by the government.

However, as the WFP develops a strategy to support up to 1,000 displaced families, it has requested the government of Pakistan to provide an additional 60,000 tons of wheat as soon as possible.

Official from the WFP said the agency as well as the government was in a good shape to provide assistance with existing resources and there was no need to launch an appeal for donor assistance so far.

The WFP will be providing food items for a month which include wheat flour, pulses, vegetable oil, salt high energy biscuits, and specialised food for children and women. The military is providing cooked meals to families and items such as rice, juices, water and dates are given to families.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 23^rd, 2014.