TDPs stage sit-in outside PTI workers’ convention in Bannu

BANNU: The temporarily displaced persons (TDPs) from North Waziristan tribal district, who have recently returned from Afghanistan, along with elders on Thursday staged a protest sit-in on the occasion of Federal Minister for Defence Pervez Khattak and chanted slogans against the government.

As Minister for Defence Pervez Khattak came to the Fazal Qadir Shaheed Park, Bannu, to address the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf workers convention, the TDPs and elders from North Waziristan staged a protest sit-in with traditional dance and drumbeat.

The TDPs have recently arrived from Afghanistan after their migration there owing to the military operations Zarb-e-Azb and Radd-ul-Fasaad against the militants of Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan in the erstwhile tribal areas, including North Waziristan.

The TDPs were demanding the government to expedite the return of displaced Pakistanis from the neighbouring Afghanistan and provide facilities to the returnees in North Waziristan elsewhere in merged districts.

However, Minister for Defence Pervez Khattak left Bannu after addressing the workers convention and did not meet the TDPs and elders.

Speaking at the sit-in, former candidate for the National Assembly seat, Malik Naikamal Khan, Malik Gul Alam Khan Madakhel and others said that first it took too long to get permission for coming back of TDPs and now there were no facilities for the returnees.

They said that the displaced people were living under the open sky in this chilling winter but the government and its department had become silent spectators.

They demanded the government to speed up the repatriation process and provide facilities, including food, drinking water, and make arrangements for health and education of the returnees.

Earlier, addressing the workers convention, Pervez Khattak said that creating rifts in PTI would not be tolerated at any cost.

He asked the disgruntled PTI workers and activists to quit the party and join other political parties.

He said that interference in party affairs would not be accepted in any way.

It may be mentioned here that the workers convention of North Waziristan was held in Bannu due to the Election Commission of Pakistan ban on public meetings by government functionaries, ministers and lawmakers in the districts where the LG polls slated for March 27.