Call for Fata IDPs honourable return

PESHAWAR: The leadership of political parties from the Pakhtun belt on Saturday underlined the need for the honourable repatriation of all displaced families to their hometowns without setting any condition to their return to North Waziristan and other tribal agencies.
The Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) had organised a grand tribal jirga at its provincial secretariat. Besides tribal elders, JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Mahmood Khan Achakzai of Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party, Qaumi Watan Party head Aftab Sherpao, Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) chief Senator Sirajul Haq and Awami National Party (ANP) general secretary Mian Iftikhar Hussain addressed the tribal jirga.
A declaration that was issued at the end of the tribal jirga called for withdrawing the condition of allegiance for the repatriation of the displaced people from North Waziristan, proper compensation for the loss of the tribespeople and rehabilitation and reconstruction of the areas affected by the military operations.
The leaders of the political parties, who turned up at the jirga, agreed to have a meeting with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to discuss the issues being faced by the displaced families from the tribal areas.
Speaking on the occasion, Maulana Fazlur Rehman said that tribesmen were the most loyal citizens of Pakistan whereas the condition of allegiance and providing protection to the security forces in their respective areas was equal to suspecting their patriotism.
“We want an early and respectable return of all displaced people from the tribal areas but linking their return with hard conditions was unacceptable,” he said.
He added that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif should announce special package for compensation and rehabilitation of the affected families.
Mahmood Khan Achakzai said the Pakhtuns had defended their soil against all oppressors but never supported violence and militancy.
“Thousands of Pakhtuns were killed, displaced and disgraced in an alien war but their loyalty and patriotism were undermined by certain elements,” he said. He added the leadership of political and religious parties should join hands for the rights of Pakhtuns.
Sirajul Haq said the tribal people had been disgraced on their own soil. He asked the civil and military establishment to send them back home with their dignity intact.
“Thousands of tribesmen left homes for the sake of peace and to strengthen writ of law in the state. Now the government should compensate them for the losses they sustained during military operations,” he added.
Lauding the holding of the tribal jirga, Aftab Sherpao said it would yield no fruit unless the government and particularly Pak Army honoured the demands of tribal people.
“We the politicians would back all the genuine demands and suggestions of the tribal people as they have suffered a lot due to military operations and militancy,” he added.
Mian Iftikhar and Afrasiab Khattak said that the land of Pakhtuns had been turned into a battlefield for an alien war where foreign terrorists subjected local people to violence.
They said the tribal areas had been deliberately pushed into darkness where the tribesmen were deprived of their fundamental rights.