KOHAT, Aug 3: Accusing the provincial government of discrimination, several non-governmental organisations have critcised the double standards being followed while taking care of more than 546,000 internally displaced persons from Orakzai and Kurram Agencies living in Kohat since 2007.

The government established camps and provided regular food for Swat and Malakand IDPs when military operations were launched there but no camp was set up in Kohat for the people migrating from Orakzai, Kurram and Hangu, they alleged.

According to official record, 23,000 families have been displaced from lower Orakzai and 55,000 from upper Orakzai owing to fighting between security forces and militants. They are residing in different areas of Kohat. The report said that 9,944 registered families, consisting of 69,608 individuals, left Sadda tehsil of Kurram Agency for safer places recently. More than 300 displaced families of Kurram Agency have also settled in Kohat.

Ziaullah Khan Bangash, the managing director of an NGO, told Dawn that the Provincial Disaster Management Cell did not provide proper tents and food to those displaced persons despite their repeated reminders.

“Our request for shifting of all household items and tents, given to Swat IDPs, to Kohat has also been turned down,” he added.

He said that IDPs in Kohat and Hangu were not provided with relief items and food even before the start of the holy month of Ramazan. “The enthusiasm of local philanthropists, who generously provide food and money especially during Ramazan, is also dying down with the passing of time,” he said.

Mr Bangash alleged that relevant departments were not utilising their funds according to the requirements of needy people. “In Hangu district, where camps have been established for IDPs unlike Kohat, the affected people have been protesting lack of medicines, food and gas for the last one year,” he added.

He said that after the twin suicide attacks on a registration centre in Kacha Pakha area of Kohat on April 17, 210, IDPs were entering Kohat without registration.

“There is no functional registration point in Kohat at present and IDPs from FR Kohat, Hangu, Orakzai and Kurram are entering Kohat freely,” he said.

Most of these IDPs have bought properties and settled in Jarma, Muhammadzai permanently as they have little hope of returning to their hometowns.

Mr Bangash said that 21,000 families returned to Orakzai Agency in three phases but they were again fleeing the restive region.

The government had told tribesmen in March 2010 when the operation was launched that Orakzai Agency would be cleared of militants within one year but clashes were intensifying there, he added.

An official, on condition of anonymity, said that three families were entering Kohat from the frontier region and other tribal parts every day. “These new colonies of tribesmen need police stations and mobile vehicles to monitor their activities but the government has limited resources,” he said.

The exodus of IDPs has resulted in population explosion in Kohat, putting extra burden on local transport and educational institutions.

“There is need for special centres to provide counselling to displaced children and rid them of the bitter memories of violence,” said a displaced tribesman.