KHYBER: With no time frame set for their return by authorities, most of over 300 families recently displaced from parts of Tirah and Upper Bara are living a miserable life in partially damaged houses with limited resources.

A total of 324 families from Sanda Pal, Miandad Kally, Kandaw, Khapur, Ghulam Ali, Dray Naghari, Jarrobi, Bagh-i-Haram, and Drowta villages, mostly inhabited by Sipas, Akkakhels, Zakhakhels, and Kamarkhels, hurriedly vacated their houses in mid-November last year when they were informed about the start of a military operation against suspected militants, who had reportedly taken refuge in these areas since June 2022.

The decision to shift residents to safer places ahead of a military operation was made after a string of terrorist attacks that martyred a lieutenant colonel and a number of soldiers.

Most of the displaced families took refuge in parts of Upper Bara, Bara-Kanjorai, Peshawar, and Jamrud, but authorities didn’t formally declare them internally displaced persons.

They insist living miserable life with limited resources

Rahman Gul of the Sanda Pal area told Dawn that he took his 12-member family to Speen Qabar Chowk in Bara last November but got no financial assistance from the district administration or the Provincial Disaster Management Authority.

He said that 67 families vacated their houses in the Sanda Pal area and had to cover long distances on foot as there was no road from their village to Bara.

“We were promised free transportation, food, tents, and necessary items of immediate use, but none of them was provided to us despite the passage of over three months,” he said.

The displaced person said he and other families were told by authorities that a military operation would be carried out in the area soon after their relocation to safer places, but a full-scale military operation had yet to be conducted.

He insisted that the displaced families were neglected by authorities.

Haji Lawang of Bagh-i-Haram told Dawn that for the third time in the last 12 years, the residents had to vacate their houses but got little assistance and relief from the government.

“It is a continuous injustice to us. Our house was destroyed by both militants and security forces twice. We’re told about military operations against militants ahead of our recent displacement,” he said.

Mr Lawang along with 17 other family members, currently lives with his relatives in an area on the outskirts of Peshawar.

He said the displaced families had lost more than half of their domestic animals; their children suffered from health issues, and their crops were ready for harvesting when they were ordered to leave, causing them huge financial losses.

The displaced person questioned the rationale for forcing families to vacate houses, saying he has yet to hear about any full-scale military operation in the region.

He insisted that calm had prevailed in the region since last November.

Sources in the region claimed that suspected militants had once again started targeting the houses of some local elders, retired security officials, or those whom they suspected of “working” for security forces.

When asked about the plight of IDPs, deputy commissioner of Khyber tribal district retired Captain Sanaullah Khan told Dawn that there were intelligence reports about the presence of suspected militants in the areas of displaced families.

“Intelligence-based operations are going on there. In the last three weeks, a number of local militant commanders have been eliminated. We cannot endanger the lives of displaced families for now by allowing them to return,” he said.

The DC said his administration conducted a survey about the whereabouts of newly displaced families and made contacts with the PDMA and non-governmental organisations for the assistance of those families.

“The Islamic Relief Pakistan has agreed to provide Rs13 million for distribution to all 324 families, with each getting Rs50,000 in the initial phase,” he said.

Mr Sanaullah also said the PDMA had been approached for cash handouts for those families, while the security agencies, too, were helping collect financial assistance.

He, however, said no time frame had been set for the return of displaced families to their houses.

“As soon as security officials inform us about the elimination of militants from the region, all possible arrangements will be made for the safe return of those families,” he said.

Published in Dawn, March 2nd, 2024