Fourth phase of TDPs’ return to South Waziristan under way: official

WANA: The 4th phase of the return process of the Temporary Displaced Persons (TDPs) to South Waziristan Agency has been launched. According to the political administration, the 4th phase, which started on October 19, would continue till December 2. Sources said that as many as 70,000 families had returned to their hometowns and villages in South Waziristan Agency during the earlier three phases so far.

Pakistan Army and political administration are jointly assisting the returning families in their transportation and rehabilitation in their native areas.Political Officer, South Waziristan Agency, Muhammad Shoaib Khan said that a makeshift camp had been established at Khargi area in Frontier Region Tank for the facilitation of the returning IDPs.

He added that the returning IDPs were being registered at the camp and issued the Watan Card on their return. The official maintained that the returning displaced families were being transported in the form of convoys under tight security cover provided by the Pakistan Army.

Muhammad Shoaib went on to say that every returning family was being provided Rs10,000 transportation fare as well as Rs25,000 for miscellaneous expenses through Automated Tiller Machine (ATM) card. He said that a team of surveyors were carrying out assessment survey of the damaged houses in South Waziristan. The official said that the government had distributed Rs1.93 billion among the TDPs so far while another Rs1.46 billion would be given within the next few weeks in this regard.