The sheer numbers of internally displaced persons (IDPs) has taken the government by surprise. This is the consensus of legal fraternity and civil society members on IDPs issue, when they were contacted by this scribe.
'The entire country appears to be fully supportive for the ongoing army operation, however, it appears to be a sheer lack of preparedness on the part of the government in dealing with the expected outcome of the operation in the form of huge number of internally displaced persons (IDPs),' stated a disgruntled civil society member involved in relief effort.
Statements by the government and the army command reveal a clear and visible understanding between the two that the operation must continue till it reaches its logical end, however, it can not be said exactly how long it will continue and how many people will have to suffer because of this ill-planned operation.
The army has issued statements, stating that they would clear the area of Taliban within a few weeks. President Zardari has also said that the operation against extremists would continue till the restoration of peace in the country. It has been recorded that 1.5 million people have fled their homes since the operation has started, moreover it is observed that approximately 85,000 people are fleeing per day.
Furthermore, Internal Displacement Monitoring Center (IDMC) has termed the internal displacement crisis as the fastest movement of people in such massive numbers since the Rwandan genocide of 1994. The IDMC, including half a million people displaced by fighting started since August 2008, has given a total figure of displaced persons in Pakistan, which may lie in the range between 2 to 2.1 million.
With displacement of almost 1.5 million people no one has bothered to count the number of families still trapped in war zones and unable to leave. Continuous fighting between the army and Taliban insurgents, planting of landmines in towns by insurgents, use of people as 'human shield' to deter attack by Taliban are preventing many civilians from fleeing the troubled region.
These areas consist of villages on mountain some of those are, Khwaza Khela, Madyan, Behrain, Kalam, Ushu, Uthror, Gabral, Miandam, Malam Jaba. But no one has realised the miseries of trapped people in the region yet. Most IDPs having left their homes with nothing except clothes and they are in urgent need of food, medical care and hygiene kits and supply of electricity at IDPs camps, observers maintained. They also said that a large number of displaced children are traumatised and need critical psycho-social support. Displaced women, some of whom had left their native villages first time are facing challenges adjusting to their new surroundings.
Observing the terrible situation the civil society members, who are working in relief operation, said that a vast majority of IDPs is also living outside the camps with some host families or on rented accommodations in extremely overcrowded situations.
President Zardari had said that the government was facing a new challenge in the wake of the massive displacement of people from troubled areas, and would try its best to rehabilitate IDPs. In this respect, donors' conference held on May 21, resulted in pledges of $224 million for immediate relief and rehabilitation of IDPs, whereas, estimates suggests that over $1 billion is needed for their settlement.