PESHAWAR: Jamaat-i-Islami chief Sirajul Haq has urged the government to allow internally displaced persons of Fata to go back to their homes before Ramazan.

The JI chief stated this while talking to a delegation of elders and leaders of various political parties from Fata here on Tuesday, according to a press release.

Also read: Return of North Waziristan IDPs continues at snail’s pace

Mr Haq said that the schedule prepared by the government for the return of IDPs of North Waziristan Agency was not feasible and suggested that authorities should take elders into confidence before finalising their return programme.

He claimed that half a million tribal people had migrated to Afghanistan before military operation in North Waziristan Agency last year. Therefore, the government should make arrangements for the return of the refugees from the neighbouring country.

He said that return process of IDPs was purely a political issue and it should not be linked with the military operation.

He said that the government should fix timeframe for the completion of military operation and the process should be accomplished as soon as possible.

Mr Haq asked the government to announce package for the rehabilitation of over two million IDPs of Fata. He said that thousands of children had been residing in tents without proper facilities of health and education.

The JI senator said that IDPs had been left at the mercy of the army, and the federal government had abandoned them. He said that IDPs were being harassed when they travelled from one place to another.

He expressed concern over reports about demolition of residential and commercial properties in Mirali and Miramshah areas and said that such tactics would not leave positive impact on the minds of tribesmen.

Published in Dawn, May 27th, 2015

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