Questioning claims: ‘NWA IDPs should not be repatriated in phases’

BANNU:

If 90% of North Waziristan Agency has been cleared of terrorists, questioned All Parties Alliance Chairman Hafiz Farhad Ali, then why are the displaced people not being repatriated at the same time.

This was stated at a press conference in Bannu on Tuesday. Ali said high-ranking civil and military officials have been claiming for some months that a major portion of the agency has been cleared. He added despite these claims, the repatriation is taking place in phases. On March 15, the first phase of repatriation for NWA was set for March 31.

“We are demanding immediate repatriation of the displaced; since the time they left their homeland, they have been deprived of proper education and health facilities,” said Ali who was accompanied by the vice chairman of the alliance, Abdul Khalil, and Press Secretary Shamsur Rehman.

Thousands of IDPs live in camps and more have taken shelter in rented houses or with relatives. “Having abandoned their houses and losing their decade-old businesses and other sources of income, these people are now living from hand to mouth,” said Ali.

Ali expressed resentment over the indifferent attitude of the federal government’s functionaries like FATA Disaster Management Authority, NADRA and the passport office towards the displaced people.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 25^th, 2015.