PESHAWAR:
Federal Minister for States and Frontier Regions (Safron) Abdul Qadir
Baloch said here on Friday that more than 227,000 people had left the
North Waziristan Agency following the military operation that began six
days ago.
Talking to reporters at the Governor’s House here, he said 15,757 families comprising 56,214 men, 70,465 women and 100,370 children had so far left North Waziristan.
He said more displaced families were arriving in Bannu where four registration points had been established. He said each family was being provided Rs12,000 in cash.
Abdul Qadir Baloch said only eight families were residing in the government camp in the Bakkakhel area in the Frontier Region, Bannu, while most of the displaced families were staying with relatives and friends. He added that some of the IDPs owned houses in the settled areas.
The minister said the commissioner of Bannu division was the focal person while Brig Mukhtar from the Army, Abbas Khan from the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and a representative of the Fata Disaster Management Authority would assist him in making arrangements for the IDPs.
He said Rs3,000 would also be provided to the IDPs residing in rented houses. “Arrangements have been made to provide medical treatment, food and water to the IDPs at the camp,” he added.
Qadir Baloch said the IDPs had been divided into two categories as some had left for the settled areas while others had relocated to safer places inside North Waziristan. He said transportation arrangements had also been made for the IDPs.
He claimed that according to Additional Secretary, Safron, Tariq Hayat, some 2,000 buses had been hired to transport the IDPs. He said the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) had established 14 points to facilitate the verification process.
He said the residents of North Waziristan had been given time to vacate the troubled areas. He feared the number of IDPs might reach four to five lakh in the coming days.
Lauding the tribal people, the minister said it was a great sacrifice to leave one’s home. “The nation will have to be united to defeat militancy. The political parties should also support the security forces that are rendering sacrifices for the country,” he said.
To a question that the provincial government had complained that it had not been taken into confidence on the military operation, he said the whole nation was on board, including the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). “All the elected members are on board and they have been included in the supervision process,” he claimed.
He urged the media to support the government and the army so that the military operation could be carried out successfully.To a question about the duration of military action, he said atime frame couldn’t be given as the offensive would continue till the elimination of the last terrorist.
“The federal government has released Rs500 million to provide relief to the IDPs and more money would be made available if needed. No effort will be spared to mitigate the sufferings of the IDPs,” he vowed.He said most of the tribesmen were fed up with militancy and wanted to see an end to the violence on their soil.
Our Miranshah correspondent adds: The Pakistan Army’s Cobra helicopters on Friday pounded suspected hideouts of the militants in the Qutabkhel village and reportedly killed 12 militants, including foreign fighters.
Residents in North Waziristan’s headquarters Miranshah said the people panicked when gunship helicopters early morning started shelling targets in Qutabkhel, about six kilometres east of Miranshah.
As it was the last day for evacuation of the tribesmen from North Waziristan, those who had already packed their belongings and were about to leave became worried after hearing shelling by the helicopters.
The military authorities later informed the local people that it was a targeted action and would not affect their evacuation.The military said local and foreign militants had established sanctuaries in Qutabkhel and used to plant improvised explosive devices (IEDs) on the main Miranshah-Mir Ali Road to target security forces.
The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) in a statement said three hideouts of terrorists were destroyed in the military action. It said that 12 militants, including Uzbek fighters, were killed in shelling on their hideouts.
“It was an integrated action by the Cobra gunships, artillery and snipers. Besides the loss of 12 terrorists, a huge cache of arms and ammunition was also destroyed,” the ISPR statement said.
Military officials said security forces had cordoned off the entire North Waziristan tribal region as many hardcore terrorists were planning to escape.The press release said on the sixth day of the military operation “Zarb-e-Azb”, security forces apprehended three local persons who claimed to be residents of North Waziristan but couldn’t provide any proof of their identity.
According to the military officials, they were trying to flee the tribal region during the night between Thursday and Friday.Meanwhile, the press release said security forces took 24 other men into custody during routine screening of displaced persons before leaving North Waziristan at the Khajori checkpoint near the Mir Ali town.The military officials said these men were suspects and were trying to escape in the guise of IDPs.
Talking to reporters at the Governor’s House here, he said 15,757 families comprising 56,214 men, 70,465 women and 100,370 children had so far left North Waziristan.
He said more displaced families were arriving in Bannu where four registration points had been established. He said each family was being provided Rs12,000 in cash.
Abdul Qadir Baloch said only eight families were residing in the government camp in the Bakkakhel area in the Frontier Region, Bannu, while most of the displaced families were staying with relatives and friends. He added that some of the IDPs owned houses in the settled areas.
The minister said the commissioner of Bannu division was the focal person while Brig Mukhtar from the Army, Abbas Khan from the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and a representative of the Fata Disaster Management Authority would assist him in making arrangements for the IDPs.
He said Rs3,000 would also be provided to the IDPs residing in rented houses. “Arrangements have been made to provide medical treatment, food and water to the IDPs at the camp,” he added.
Qadir Baloch said the IDPs had been divided into two categories as some had left for the settled areas while others had relocated to safer places inside North Waziristan. He said transportation arrangements had also been made for the IDPs.
He claimed that according to Additional Secretary, Safron, Tariq Hayat, some 2,000 buses had been hired to transport the IDPs. He said the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) had established 14 points to facilitate the verification process.
He said the residents of North Waziristan had been given time to vacate the troubled areas. He feared the number of IDPs might reach four to five lakh in the coming days.
Lauding the tribal people, the minister said it was a great sacrifice to leave one’s home. “The nation will have to be united to defeat militancy. The political parties should also support the security forces that are rendering sacrifices for the country,” he said.
To a question that the provincial government had complained that it had not been taken into confidence on the military operation, he said the whole nation was on board, including the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). “All the elected members are on board and they have been included in the supervision process,” he claimed.
He urged the media to support the government and the army so that the military operation could be carried out successfully.To a question about the duration of military action, he said atime frame couldn’t be given as the offensive would continue till the elimination of the last terrorist.
“The federal government has released Rs500 million to provide relief to the IDPs and more money would be made available if needed. No effort will be spared to mitigate the sufferings of the IDPs,” he vowed.He said most of the tribesmen were fed up with militancy and wanted to see an end to the violence on their soil.
Our Miranshah correspondent adds: The Pakistan Army’s Cobra helicopters on Friday pounded suspected hideouts of the militants in the Qutabkhel village and reportedly killed 12 militants, including foreign fighters.
Residents in North Waziristan’s headquarters Miranshah said the people panicked when gunship helicopters early morning started shelling targets in Qutabkhel, about six kilometres east of Miranshah.
As it was the last day for evacuation of the tribesmen from North Waziristan, those who had already packed their belongings and were about to leave became worried after hearing shelling by the helicopters.
The military authorities later informed the local people that it was a targeted action and would not affect their evacuation.The military said local and foreign militants had established sanctuaries in Qutabkhel and used to plant improvised explosive devices (IEDs) on the main Miranshah-Mir Ali Road to target security forces.
The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) in a statement said three hideouts of terrorists were destroyed in the military action. It said that 12 militants, including Uzbek fighters, were killed in shelling on their hideouts.
“It was an integrated action by the Cobra gunships, artillery and snipers. Besides the loss of 12 terrorists, a huge cache of arms and ammunition was also destroyed,” the ISPR statement said.
Military officials said security forces had cordoned off the entire North Waziristan tribal region as many hardcore terrorists were planning to escape.The press release said on the sixth day of the military operation “Zarb-e-Azb”, security forces apprehended three local persons who claimed to be residents of North Waziristan but couldn’t provide any proof of their identity.
According to the military officials, they were trying to flee the tribal region during the night between Thursday and Friday.Meanwhile, the press release said security forces took 24 other men into custody during routine screening of displaced persons before leaving North Waziristan at the Khajori checkpoint near the Mir Ali town.The military officials said these men were suspects and were trying to escape in the guise of IDPs.
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