PESHAWAR – Thousands of Internally Displaced People (IDPs) from border and troubled regions of Mohmand Agency were facing numerous hardships in the tent villages established in remote areas within the tribal territory. Owing to the latest terrorist attacks and clashes between the security forces and militants, tribesmen from Khawezai, Dawezai, Saagi and Sooran were abandoning their homes and making efforts to get shelter in safe areas.
Unlike past, the political administration did not permit these IDPs to get shelter in the adjacent areas of Charsada or Peshawar and established tent villages for them in Kashmir, Kor Nahqi and Pandyali Tehsil. An IDP Irshad Khan told Pakistan Today on Monday that current rains had multiplied their miseries as there were no drainage facilities in the camp and all tents were full of rain water.
He added that United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) gave tents to them but they were not water proof, therefore, all the displaced people including women and children were unable to avoid rain. Another tribal man Zahir Shah Safi Advocate said there was an acute shortage of medicines and health coverage in the tent villages and a large number of children and women were facing diseases.
Though Mohmand agency’s political administration registered around 3,000 IDP families in the camps with help of UNHCR but the tribesmen believed that more than 40,000 families had abandoned their homes. Irshad Khan said the majority of IDPs was reluctant to get shelter in the temporary camps, therefore, they shifted to the nearby villages and adjusted themselves with their relatives.
According to officials, one tent, plastic sheets, cooked food, blankets and other items of daily use including utensils were being provided to the each family. The World Food Programme employees had arrived and they were likely to start distribution of food items from Tuesday, Irshad said adding that the government with the collaboration of international and local non governmental organisations (NGOs) was making arrangements for IDP’s proper shelter.
Irshad and Zahir apprehended human losses due to the chilly cold and rough weather if the authorities concerned would fail in providing blankets, warm clothes, electricity and health services. While the elders in Mohmand tribe demanded the authorities shift their camps from the remote areas to somewhere close to Peshawar, Charsada and Ghalanai.
