One of the worst sufferers of the unending political crisis in Islamabad are hundreds of thousands internally displaced persons (IDPs) who left their homes and hearths in the wake of military operation against the Taliban insurgents. They remain ignored as government leaders, political parties and the media all have their attention focused on that one issue. The media, of course, spotlight happening events, and hence much of their time and energy has been going into reporting and commenting on the developments in the capital's high security Red Zone, the Prime Minister House and Parliament. But those directly concerned with the IDPs should have been at hand to do their duty towards them.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Pervez Khattak has been away from his province, where IDPs are camped in its Bannu district, for nearly three weeks now. He has been participating in his party's sit-in in Islamabad, appearing every evening on PTI's 'Azadi bus' during Imran Khan's daily evening speeches. Minister for States and Frontier Regions Abdul Qadir Baloch, the federal government's focal person for IDP affairs, is now a part of a team involved in negotiations with the PTI. The result is that no one in authority seems to be available for attending to the people who have made difficult sacrifices for the sake of peace and stability of this country. In fact, even before the present crisis, other matters had distracted governmental attention. The Frontier Regions' minister admitted failure, during a media talk, to mobilise public support for the IDPs. Nevertheless, underscoring the significance of the issue he warned of the military operation extending to other cities, including Karachi and the war against violent extremists to be long, and far-reaching in its implications. But actions have not matched the rhetoric, especially during the last several weeks. In fact, a few days ago, exasperated members of the Waziristan Affected People's Committee staged a protest demonstration in Bannu to draw attention to their plight.
Problems for the IDPs in the meantime are mounting. Many of them camped in schools have been told by the KPK government to vacate them immediately as educational institutions are opening after a long summer vacation. The winter season is only a couple of months away. These people need to be provided adequate shelter, food, water, healthcare facilities and education for children not a favour but right. The federal government as in-charge of Fata affairs and KPK government as a host must fulfil their respective responsibilities towards the displaced persons and ensure their needs are taken care of as far as possible.
Wednesday, September 10, 2014
Pakistan: IDPs deserve attention
One of the worst sufferers of the unending political crisis in Islamabad are hundreds of thousands internally displaced persons (IDPs) who left their homes and hearths in the wake of military operation against the Taliban insurgents. They remain ignored as government leaders, political parties and the media all have their attention focused on that one issue. The media, of course, spotlight happening events, and hence much of their time and energy has been going into reporting and commenting on the developments in the capital's high security Red Zone, the Prime Minister House and Parliament. But those directly concerned with the IDPs should have been at hand to do their duty towards them.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Pervez Khattak has been away from his province, where IDPs are camped in its Bannu district, for nearly three weeks now. He has been participating in his party's sit-in in Islamabad, appearing every evening on PTI's 'Azadi bus' during Imran Khan's daily evening speeches. Minister for States and Frontier Regions Abdul Qadir Baloch, the federal government's focal person for IDP affairs, is now a part of a team involved in negotiations with the PTI. The result is that no one in authority seems to be available for attending to the people who have made difficult sacrifices for the sake of peace and stability of this country. In fact, even before the present crisis, other matters had distracted governmental attention. The Frontier Regions' minister admitted failure, during a media talk, to mobilise public support for the IDPs. Nevertheless, underscoring the significance of the issue he warned of the military operation extending to other cities, including Karachi and the war against violent extremists to be long, and far-reaching in its implications. But actions have not matched the rhetoric, especially during the last several weeks. In fact, a few days ago, exasperated members of the Waziristan Affected People's Committee staged a protest demonstration in Bannu to draw attention to their plight.
Problems for the IDPs in the meantime are mounting. Many of them camped in schools have been told by the KPK government to vacate them immediately as educational institutions are opening after a long summer vacation. The winter season is only a couple of months away. These people need to be provided adequate shelter, food, water, healthcare facilities and education for children not a favour but right. The federal government as in-charge of Fata affairs and KPK government as a host must fulfil their respective responsibilities towards the displaced persons and ensure their needs are taken care of as far as possible.
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