An All-Party Conference (APC) Khyber Pakhtunkhawa Saturday rejected the payment of a relief of Rs 20,000 per month to each affected family of the North Waziristan operation and asked the government to raise it to Rs 50,000. The demand was made through a joint communiqué issued here at the Jirga Hall of the CM House. The joint communiqué was read out by Provincial Minister for Information, Shah Farman.
They also called for the constitution of an effective and vibrant co-ordination committee comprising representatives of federal, provincial governments and elected public representatives from tribal area to provide relief to the growing number of displaced persons from tribal areas. It asked the provincial government to provide bridge financing on an emergency basis and claimed it from federal government later.
It said the APC expressed concern over the situation arising out of the ongoing operation in North Waziristan Agency, adding that the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhawa and its adjacent tribal areas are brave, patriotic and Islam loving. It said that they have to confront the unbearable incidents like leaving their houses and migrating from their areas.
It said that joining ally in the war against terror played havoc with their businesses and jobs. Farming and orchards have also been destroyed, it said and added that damage inflicted on infrastructure in Khyber Pakhtunkhawa and FATA, the terrorism had rendered industrial units closed. It destroyed more than 2,500 educational facilities.
After Malakand Division, Bajaur Agency, Mohmand Agency, Orakzai Agency, Kurram Agency and South Waziristan another large-scale operation has been launched in North Waziristan on the eve of Ramazan amid sizzling heat. It said that before the launching of the operation no prior arrangements were made for the resolution of the problems. The government neither felt the need to take provincial government and political leadership into confidence, which resulted in a new human tragedy. It said the federal government should have convened an APC before launching the operation.
It said more than 0.5 million people have migrated from North Waziristan so far and for handling of such a big number no arrangement has been made for provision of shelter, food, water, medical, security and other necessities. It said that one concerning aspect of the North Waziristan operation is that a large number of people instead of coming to the settled areas of Pakistan migrated to Afghan side of the border. Keeping in view the situation, the APC unanimously demanded recognition of Khyber Pakhtunkhawa as 'hard area' on the basis of terrorism, natural disasters and losses in the operation.
The APC also demanded provision of free transport facility to the stranded and people migrating from the area. It said that the operation has also put more than 1.5 cattle heads at risk. It said that while keeping in view the Islamic traditions and scorching heat the relief camps should be established in buildings. Political parties also called for facilitating the IDPs in living with their relatives anywhere in the country.
The APC termed the ban on the IDPs movement as unconstitutional. No hurdle should be created in their way, it said. The launching of operation without planning was unimaginable as its continuation for an indefinite period could be disastrous. The government should also make arrangements for the protection of life and properties of those who had not migrated.
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