- FDMA to provide Rs10,000 for transportation, Rs25,000 as compensation to displaced persons
PESHAWAR: The Federally Administrative Tribal Area Disaster Management Authority (FDMA) has announced a schedule for repatriation of Internally Displaced Persons (IDP’s) to snow-covered mountainous region of Tirah.
The repatriations of around 20,000 families to different parts of Tirah valley will commence from June 25 and will continue till mid of December next year. However, there is going to be a break from July 6 to August 20 due to the upcoming elections.
Almost all of the displaced persons are scattered in urban areas, therefore, the FDMA is going to establish a repatriation centre at levies centre at Shahkas, Jamrud in Khyber Agency. After getting registration and surrender of TDP cards, the tribesmen will embark on vehicles for their onward journey to different parts of Tirah valley.
The IDPs will receive a repatriation package which includes Rs10,000 as transportation charges and Rs25,000 as repatriation/rehabilitation compensation. These IDPs will also receive edible items for six months, which is being provided with the assistance of World Food Programme (WFP) and other international organisations.
The process of repatriation will start with the IDPs belonging to Sepah clan of Afridi tribe. They will be repatriated from June 25 till June 28. According to FDMA, during this period, 1,158 families will be repatriated. After Sepah, tribesmen from Akakhel will be repatriated whereas tribesmen from Malik Din Khel, Bar Qambar Khel, Qamar Khel and Kokikhel will be repatriated after the general elections conclude.
The areas along Pak-Afghan border, where these IDPs are being repatriated to, have already been cleared of miscreants after military conducted operations. Besides restoring the writ of law in this particular region for the first time, the security forces are now engaged in fencing of Pak-Afghan border.
On the other hand, the tribesmen displaced from Parachinar town of Kurram Agency some 10 years ago are also being repatriated. The first batch of 10 displaced families, which reached Parachinar on Wednesday, was given a warm welcome.
However, elders from some tribes have shown their reservations and are alleging that strangers are being repatriated into the area, while the actual displaced people, having their homes and properties in the area, are being ignored.