NWFP Minister for Finance Mohammad Humayun Khan has said that the people of Malakand Agency were the worst sufferers of the ongoing military operation in Swat and Buner as the area, which served as a gateway to Swat remained under curfew for long period giving serious setback to the infrastructure, business and social life in the agency.
He called upon the international donor agencies to support the dwellers of Malakand Agency both materially and financially. He was talking to the head of sub-delegation of the International Committee for Red Cross (ICRC) Bennokocher, who called on him at his office on Thursday. Head of sub-delegation of the ICRC in Peshawar Sultan Bahadur also accompanied him.
The minister told the ICRC team that during the military operation in Swat and Buner a large number of people were displaced who camped in Mardan, Swabi and Malakand Agency. The minister finance said the people of Malakand Agency were suffered two ways. He said on the one hand they had hosted a large number of Swat and Buner IDPs while on the other due to military supplies all its main bazars remained closed as it remained under curfew.
He regretted that the people of Swat and Buner were registered while the people of Malakand Agency were still unregistered thus deprived of financial as well as material assistance. He urged the ICRC delegation to extend support to that people first, as they were the most sufferers. The ICRC chief briefed the minister finance on the distribution of food items to the IDPs of Malakand and its future planning of making more supplies to the area in the shape of food items.
The minister finance greatly appreciated the efforts of the ICRC and advised the delegation to distribute food items through the Malakand administration as it could positively identify the deserving communities. The ICRC delegation also handed over detailed brief of the committee to the minister finance.