Federal Minister for Law Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, Ahmed Bilal Sufi, said that people should be aware of Pakistan's international commitments to tackle the issue of extremism and terrorism. Pakistan has singed several treaties to counter terrorism which has legal binding on the country, hence "we need to distinguish between pressure and obligation," said Bilal, while addressing to a seminar titled "Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) of Fata: Issues and Challenges", organised by Fata Research Centre here on Tuesday.
Other speakers on the occasion linked peace in the country with peace in Fata, saying the main reason behind current unrest and lawlessness is a conspiracy of international players to achieve their own vested interests. They highlighted the plight of the IDPs living in different camps in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa who were prone to a number of maladies. The speakers brought into limelight the issues of IDP's amidst the persisting wave of extremism and militancy in Fata and urged the government to 'do more' for their rehabilitation.
Senior vice president of Awami National Party (ANP) Senator Haji Muhammad Adeel said that the party is ready to forgive the blood of slain workers and leaders, if militants resort to table talks seriously. He further said that the previous government singed agreements with militants; however they later started challenging the Constitution of the country. Due to efforts taken by the previous government, peace was restored in Malakand division. Regarding IDPs, Adeel said that government is making all-out efforts to provide health and education facilities to the militancy-affected people. Fata students were being provided quota in all colleges and universities of the province, he maintained.
Ibrahim Shinwari a political analyst said that the number of factors that compelled people to displace was due to escalated militancy, poor law and order situations and occupation of trade routs by the militants across the Fata. Drone strikes, suicide bombing and other terrorist activities have affected the innocent civilian population in the Federally Administered Tribal belt due to the ongoing conflict, he maintained.
He added that elders had been forced by the militants to send young people to their groups while capturing their sources of livelihood, resulting in mass migration from Fata.
Syed Zaheer-ul-Islam Shah, Director General Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) said that people of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Fata have not been suffering due to their own faults, but due to the vested interests of international community. DG PDMA informed the audience that IDPS from Bajaur, Mohmand and Orakzai had returned to their home while phase-wise repatriation of IDPs of Kurram and South Waziristan is in process.
DG PDMA said that 165,427 families are still living as IDPs, adding that more than 19,000 IDPs recently emerged from Khyber Agency are still living as IDPs. Gul Bat Khan Afridi the head of IDP Shura said the recent blast in Jalozai Camp claimed more than 18 lives, but still no security measures have been taken for the camp, but ironically camp management has taken strict security measures for themselves.
Dr Ashraf Ali president Fata Research Centre said that until and unless the issue of terrorism and militancy is resolved, the rehabilitation of Fata IDPs seems day dreaming. The Research Centre also launched a report revealing the security situation in Fata during the first quarter of 2013, unveiling that people of Fata faced numerous terrorist attacks during the first quarter of 2013.
The report reads that from January to March 2013, 120 violent incidents took place causing 639 killings and 362 injuries across Fata. The insurgency in Khyber Agency exceeded to an alarming stage during this period. According to the statistical data revealed in the security report, the highest number of casualties among the seven agencies was reported in Khyber Agency where 371 people were killed and 117 injured. The major portion in these killings resulted due to clashes among different militant groups, triggering massive displacement of the affected masses from the agency.
During the question-answer session, the participants commented upon the situation, saying that high profile figures usually in their speeches say that the issue of Fata IDPs must be sorted out, but no concrete steps have been taken yet for their rehabilitation. People from different walks of life including politicians, diplomats, civil society activists, academicians, researchers and students participated in the seminar while debating the issues of IDPs, security and peace in Fata.