TDPs facing numerous problems upon return to Tirah Valley

BARA: The temporary displaced people (TDPs) belonging to various tribes have been facing numerous problems in lower Tirah valley of Khyber district after their return to their abodes.

Talking to reporters, Sipah Youth Organisation (SYO) office- bearers, including Turab Ali, Samal Jan, Abdul Rehman, social activist Jahangir Khan, Ali Khan, Sherbaz Afridi and others said that their houses and male-guest houses had been completely destroyed during the militancy and the government extended no help to them before sending back to their native areas.

“We had shifted to different areas in Peshawar and other parts of the country when the military operation was launched against the militants in Khyber district in 2013,” said Turab, adding, the elected representatives from Khyber district also failed to provide any help to the affectees.

They revealed that the lawmakers should play a role in resolving these issues at the government level. The office-bearers expressed concern over the lack of interest of central and provincial governments in public affairs and demanded the reconstruction of damaged government schools and up-gradation of the Dogra Hospital.

They added that they had met former federal minister and leader of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Hameedullah Jan Afridi and discussed with him the problems being faced by the people. Hameedullah Jan said that they were trying to start a high-level consultation process on these issues soon with the cooperation of the leaders of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam.

He criticised the elected representatives for not extending any help to the TDPs and claimed that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government was not interested in providing basic facilities to the merged districts.

"Around 50 schools have been destroyed during the militancy which could not be built yet," he stated, and hoped the coalition government would solve the issues being faced by the people of the erstwhile Fata.