LANDI KOTAL, Sept 23: Repatriation of internally displaced persons from Tirah valley of Khyber Agency resumed on Monday after three-day suspension as 153 Malikdinkhel families left the Jerma transit point near Kohat for their homes.

Fata Disaster Management Authority had suspended the IDPs’ return on Sept 19 after thousands of people from Khyber, Kurram and Orakzai agencies gathered at the Jerma food distribution centre in order to collect monthly food ration.

Shah Daraz, a FDMA official at Jerma transit point, told Dawn by telephone that a total of 530 people, including 289 men and 241 women, embarked on their final journey towards their destination in vehicles provided by FDMA.

He said 1,010 families, mostly from Malikdinkhel, had returned to Bagh-Maidan area of Tirah valley, while the return of IDPs to Bar Qambarkhel, Shalobar, Adamkhel and Zaodin-Zakhakhel areas would resume once FDMA secured a go-ahead from the Khyber Agency political administration for it.

Meanwhile, Assistant Political Agent of Bara Mohammad Nasir told Dawn that the administration’s negotiations with Bar Qambarkhel’s tribesmen had made a headway during a jirga in Peshawar on Monday.

He said another round of the jirga would be held in Sadda area of Kurram Agency on Sept 25 as most IDPs from Bar Qambarkhel were living either at Durrani camp or in its surrounding localities.

“I am quite optimistic that the return of IDPs to Bar Qambarkhel will resume after the Sept 25 jirga,” he said.