Orakzai, Kurram IDPs start settling in Kohat

Source Dawn

Accusing the provincial government of discrimination, several non-governmental organisations have critcised the double standards being followed while taking care of more than 546,000 internally displaced persons from Orakzai and Kurram Agencies living in Kohat since 2007.
The government established camps and provided regular food for Swat and Malakand IDPs when military operations were launched there but no camp was set up in Kohat for the people migrating from Orakzai, Kurram and Hangu, they alleged.
According to official record, 23,000 families have been displaced from lower Orakzai and 55,000 from upper Orakzai owing to fighting between security forces and militants. They are residing in different areas of Kohat. The report said that 9,944 registered families, consisting of 69,608 individuals, left Sadda tehsil of Kurram Agency for safer places recently. More than 300 displaced families of Kurram Agency have also settled in Kohat.
Ziaullah Khan Bangash, the managing director of an NGO, told Dawn that the Provincial Disaster Management Cell did not
provide proper tents and food to those displaced persons despite their repeated reminders.
“Our request for shifting of all household items and tents, given to Swat IDPs, to Kohat has also been turned down,” he added.
He said that IDPs in Kohat and Hangu were not provided with relief items and food even before the start of the holy month of
Ramazan. “The enthusiasm of local philanthropists, who generously provide food and money especially during Ramazan, is also dying down with the passing of time,” he said.
Mr Bangash alleged that relevant departments were not utilising their funds according to the requirements of needy people.
“In Hangu district, where camps have been established for IDPs unlike Kohat, the affected people have been protesting lack of medicines, food and gas for the last one year,” he added.
He said that after the twin suicide attacks on a registration centre in Kacha Pakha area of Kohat on April 17, 210, IDPs were entering Kohat without registration.
“There is no functional registration point in Kohat at present and IDPs from FR Kohat, Hangu, Orakzai and Kurram are entering Kohat freely,” he said.
Most of these IDPs have bought properties and settled in Jarma, Muhammadzai permanently as they have little hope of returning to their hometowns.
Mr Bangash said that 21,000 families returned to Orakzai Agency in three phases but they were again fleeing the restive region.
The government had told tribesmen in March 2010 when the operation was launched that Orakzai Agency would be cleared of
militants within one year but clashes were intensifying there, he added.
An official, on condition of anonymity, said that three families were entering Kohat from the frontier region and other tribal parts every day. “These new colonies of tribesmen need police stations and mobile vehicles to monitor their activities but the
government has limited resources,” he said.
The exodus of IDPs has resulted in population explosion in Kohat, putting extra burden on local transport and educational institutions.
“There is need for special centres to provide counselling to displaced children and rid them of the bitter memories of violence,” said a displaced tribesman.

Afghans, IDPs overstaying their hospitality

Source Dawn

The prolonged stay of Afghan refugees and internally displaced persons from tribal regions has created social and economic problems besides posing threat to peace of the district, locals complain.
The elders of internally displaced persons say that police ask them to submit personal guarantees that they will not indulge in terrorist activities during their stay in the district, but they have been refusing.
The locals said that prolonged stay of IDPs had resulted in increase in rents of houses, land and shops besides creating joblessness in the area.
On the other hand, IDPs, once welcomed by the locals with open heart, blame government for its failure in flushing out terrorists from their tribal agencies during the last several years.
The IDPs from Kurram and Orakzai agencies, Hangu district, Waziristan Agency, Darra Adamkhel, Malakand and Swat have been living in Kohat for the last four years. They have set up new settlements on Indus Highway by occupying or buying land from the local people.
Locals alleged that some of the IDPs joined militant groups and were creating law and order situation in the district.
“They have also converted University Road and Indus Road Bypass up to Zero Point into a no-go-area,” locals alleged.
Recently, police arrested a group of Taliban, allegedly involved in making suicide jackets and improvised explosive devices, from the area. An electricity transformer was also recovered from the house. Locals said that new seminaries and mosques were being built in the areas where IDPs lived.
Sources said that militants had also entered the district in the guise of IDPs and were posing threat to peace of the area.
In addition, there are thousands of Afghan refugees, who have permanently settled near the mountains of Darra Adamkhel and some parts of the city without any kind of restriction on their movement.
Some of the Afghan refugees have bought homes in the city and shops in the costly main bazaar. They have made huge investment in cloth, fruit and transport businesses besides establishing small factories of shoes and other outlets.
The officials concerned, when contacted, were unable to give accurate figures of IDPs living in the district. However, locals said that their number exceeded 200,000.
Owing to uncertain situation in the conflict zones, the IDPs are reluctant to go back to their homes. Same is the case with Afghans.

75pc of Orakzai area cleared

Source Dawn

Fresh troops have been sought for the ongoing operation in Mamozai area of Orakzai Agency where security forces are facing stiff resistance from militants.


Operation commander Col. Waseem told journalists at a news briefing in Hangu on Thursday that militants had been ousted from 75 per cent area where permanent checkposts have been established for the safety of tribesmen.


“The military is patrolling and conducting operation in 15 per cent area where operation is in progress and security forces will gain control over it after arrival of fresh troops. Only 5-10 per cent area is under the control of Tehrik Taliban Pakistan (TTP) after five-month-long operation because of shortage of army personnel who are engaged in relief activities in the flood-affected parts of the country,” said the operation commander.

He said that according to the directives of Chief of Army Staff Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani the security forces would remain in the region until complete restoration of peace and for the moral and on-ground support of the administration.

Col. Waseem said that 62 security personnel were martyred and 213 injured during the operation between March and July. Also, 600 militants were killed during clashes and 250 who were arrested are being kept at various places for interrogation, he added.

He gave firm assurance to the tribesmen that militants would never return to the parts of tribal area where writ of the government had been enforced. He said that the writ of government could only be maintained with the collective efforts of the tribesmen, administration and army.

Answering a question, he said that the threat of suicide attacks would remain there in the country and it was the only tool left with terrorists to demoralise public.

Political Agent Riaz Mehsud while briefing journalists said that phase-wise return of 100,000 affected families had started and the government would be providing food and non-food items to the returning families for six months to help them in rehabilitation.

“The internally displaced persons (IDPs) are returning voluntarily and it is the desire of the administration to facilitate the IDPs without harming their dignity,” he said.

Mr Mehsud said that 64,000 families displaced from Storikhel, Utmankhel, Bezote and Ferozekhel had already returned to their homes and the remaining 13,000 would be rehabilitated within one week.

In the third to sixth phase the Mishti, Sheikhan, Daradar, Rabiakhel, Shahukhel, Alikhel and Mullahkhel tribes would be allowed to return to their homes.

He said that the administration had established six registration points to block the way of militants back into the tribal area in the guise of IDPs.

He said that under a comprehensive strategy peace would be maintained in the region through jirga system and village defence committees, which would keep liaison with security forces and political administration.

Lt. Col. Habib told newsmen that ample stock of food and non-food items was available for the returning IDPs.

Forces to protect IDPs returning to Orakzai

Source: The News

Personnel of the law-enforcement agencies would be deployed on Kohat-Oblan road to ensure safe return of the internally displaced persons (IDPs) to their hometowns in Orakzai Agency, official sources said on Wednesday.




The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by the Commissioner Kohat division Khalid Umarzai about the strategy to open Kohat-Orakzai road through Oblan. Political Agent of Orakzai Agency Riaz Mehsud, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police Kohat range Abdullah Khan, District Coordination Officer (DCO) Kifayatullah Khan, District Police Officer (DPO) Delawar Khan Bangash, Senior Superintendent of Police Hangu Abdul Majeed Afridi and high-ups of Pakistan Army were also present in the meeting.



Riaz Mehsud gave presentation about recent developments in Orakzai agency and strategy regarding safe repatriation of IDPs was reviewed. Commissioner Khalid Umarzai said that most areas of lower tehsil of Orakzai Agency had been cleared of the militants. He said that the road between Kohat and Orakzai agency was made secure for the safe passage of the IDPs to their hometowns.



The commissioner stressed on the elders of Orakzai to cooperate with security forces and political administration to restore peace in the area. Over 300 families of IDPs have returned to their homes in Storikhel in lower tehsil of Orakzai Agency, he added.

Kohat IDPs registration center closed

Source Daily Jang

Kohat IDPs registration office has been closed for one week due to recent blast at the IDPs camp. The Kohat Commissioner has claimed that the blast is due to the reaction of the ongoing operation in Orakzai Agency.

41 IDPs killed as bombers target camp in Kohat

posted in news

Two suicide bombers struck a crowd of displaced people collecting aid handouts, killing at least 41 and wounding more than 60 on Saturday at the Kacha Pukha camp on the outskirts of Kohat.




The bombers struck minutes apart in the camp, a registration centre for people fleeing Taliban violence and army operations close to the Afghan border.



"The toll in the two suicide attacks is 41 dead and more than 60 wounded," DIG Kohat Abdullah Khan told Geo News.



Meanwhile, Lashkar-e-Jhangvi Al Alami called Geo News correspondent and claimed the responsibility of the attack.



Body parts of the bombers were recovered and most of the victims were members of the Mani Khel and Baramad Khel tribes who had gathered for registration after fleeing fighting in their home district of Orakzai, sources said.



The first bomber detonated his explosives while displaced people gathered to register and receive relief items. A few minutes later the second bomber blew himself up in the middle of the gathering crowd.

More staff at IDPs camp sought

posted in news


The Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) at Jarma camp on Tuesday demanded of the government to increase the staff at the camp for facilitating the registration process. The Social Welfare Department in collaboration with the United Nations High Commission for Refugees established a camp at Jarma for the IDPs. Sources said the IDPs from Kohat, Orakzai and Parachinar had been complaining about slow registration because of the staff shortage at the camp. The camp in-charge, Saifullah told The News that 20,725 families comprising 97,836 individuals had so far been registered while the process was in progress. Social Welfare Officer Shazia Khattak said that 15,000 families were being provided buckets, jerry cans, soaps, kitchen sets, quilts and food items and the remaining families would soon get these items.

Registration of IDPs resumes

posted in dawn

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees on Monday resumed registration of people displaced from central Kurram after it was declared conflict-hit area.

District social welfare officer Shazia Khattak told Dawn on Monday that 1,800 new displaced families had been registered since March 3 and the process would continue for a month as the number of IDPs from Orakzai Agency was also constantly rising.