Zarb-e-Azb continues against militants in NW: Federal, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governments scale up efforts to rehabilitate IDPs

As the military offensive Zarb-e-Azb continues against militants in North Waziristan, the federal and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governments have scaled up their efforts to rehabilitate the internally displaced persons. The data available with the Business Recorder shows that 21,707 mobile SIMs provided to the displaced persons have also been activated. The Sims provided by the federal government to facilitate them to contact their near and dear ones.
The government also plans to distribute the financial assistance among the displaced persons through the mobile SIMs provided to them. The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) has handed over 1,000 tents to deputy commissioner Bannu to ensure shelter for the victims.
According to the National Disaster Management Authority, so far, some 778,258 have been registered as the IDPs. However, independent sources say that number of the IDPs has crossed 800,000 mark. The displaced persons include 335,894 children, 233,819 females and 208,545 males. So far, 61,209 families have reached from North Waziristan Agency areas of operation and have been registered.
The government has completed some basic facilities for the displaced persons at the Baka Khel Camp. This includes six shelters, size of 50'x20' one each for male and female, 10 water storage tanks each having 2,000 gallons capacity, including waiting shades latrines and washrooms.
The government has also provided 2,000 tents, out of them 300 are pitched. In the camp, children are being vaccinated for the polio while other health facilities are also being made available in the camp. The federal and provincial governments have also set up 20 registration desks, 4 mobile health units, 20 water tanks, 5 ambulances, 4 Nadra facilitation points, besides free relief distribution points in the area.
So far, the federal government has provided Rs 12,000 per family and cash to 28,846 families has been distributed by SAFRON, which amounts to Rs 346.152 million. The army, United Arab Emirates and World Food Programme have distributed 71,164 food packs among the displaced persons. The government of Punjab has dispatched 50 trucks for the IDPs carrying tents (20 trucks) and flour and rice (6,000 bags each, 30 trucks).
The Norwegian Refugee Council has distributed 13,078 non-food items; the UNHCR-SRSP has distributed 10,574 non-food items kits. A complaint cell for displaced persons has been made functional at Bannu under supervision of KP Minister of Revenue. The government also expects that the United Arab Emirates has been sending 50,000 food packs (95kg each) for the IDPs, while the government of Punjab has announced Rs 50 million from Chief Minister's Relief Fund for the victims of the operation Zarb-e-Azb.
A joint team is monitoring displaced persons camp management to ensure that affected people are facilitated with all necessary apparatus/arrangements for food, medical treatment and transportation. The team is also overseeing the planning and execution of the humanitarian efforts being done jointly by SAFRON/NDMA/FDMA/PDMAKP, Pakistan Army, Civil administration and other stakeholders.