Displaced tribals in Pakistan set to return home Tuesday, 27 July 2010 01:31

PESHAWAR:  The civil and military authorities in Pakistan are planning to start sending the first batch of displaced Mehsud tribals to their villages in South Waziristan agency in the federally administered tribal areas (Fata) on the border with Afghanistan by the second week of August.

“We want to return up to 40,000 displaced persons to their homes in the first phase. We hope they would be able to celebrate Eidul Fitr in their villages,” a senior military official said yesterday.

South Waziristan’s political agent Shahab Shah said 44,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) have been registered at centres in Tank, Dera Ismail Khan, Wana and Razmak and their repatriation would start soon. The registered IDPs are being issued cards that would facilitate their return and ensure payment of cash compensation and supply of food rations and other relief goods.

Almost the whole Mehsud tribe inhabiting roughly half of the vast South Waziristan tribal region was displaced due to the military operation launched in their area, against the militants in October last year. Most of them have been living in Tank and Dera Ismail Khan districts located close to the militancy-stricken South Waziristan. INTERNEWS

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