30,000 families from SWA being provided cash grant, food items: Gen Nadeem.

ISLAMABAD, November 01, 2009 (Balochistan Times ): More than 30,000 families from South Waziristan have shifted to D.I.Khan and Tank who are being extended cash grants, health and educational facilities. This was stated by Chairman of Special Support Group Lt General Nadeem Ahmed at a press conference here on Sunday evening. He said 7500 visa cards have so far been given to IDPs to draw monthly cash of Rs 5000 per family for which the Federal Government has already released Rs 7.6 billion to the NWFP Government, enough to take care of the displaced persons for six months. Lt General Nadeem said relief camps for SWA IDPs have not been opened due to security reasons as there exist differences among them on sectarian, inter tribe and intra tribe disputes. However he said all arrangements are ready and if need arose, the camps would be set without any loss of time. He said as soon as the IDPs are registered, they get food relief items and cash grants. However he said still some family members of the IDPs stay back home for whom the army has donated 405 tons of food items which are being distributed among them by army formations operating there as market forces are not active there. To cater the need of education of the IDPs children, twenty three schools have been identified in D.I. Khan and Tank to provide education in 2nd shift in Govt run schools to 3223 school going children. For this purpose teachers of Waziristan, who have been made homeless have been selected. Lt General Nadeem Ahmad said Pakistan Red Crescent Society has provided medicines, ambulances and medical staff to assist the local hospitals in providing treatment to the IDPs. He said Pakistan Army has established a main field hospital in D.I.Khan and a small field hospital in Tank which started working from Sunday. Two water bouzers have been placed at the disposal of District Administration in Tank while FATA secretariat has released Rs 12 million for boring of deep tubewells to meet the water needs of the people. The Chairman of Special Support Group said a programme is also being launched for skill development of the IDPs and the trainees will get Rs 3000 to Rs 4000 per month as stipeneds and provided toolkits to implement the skill during reconstruction process. The SSG has established a help and information desk in D.I. Khan to redress the grievances of the IDPs. Its number is: 0966-740240. Replying to a question, Lt General Nadeem said some militants could sneak into D.I. Khan but they cannot bring arms and explosives as strict checking system is in place. To another question, due to security risk, the government cannot allow UN and international NGOs to operate in D.I. Khan and Tank. Three Pakistani NGOs are operating and looking after the IDPs with the support of UN agencies. He said allowing foreign NGOs could have a negative fallout of kidnapping of volunteers upsetting the entire relief efforts. He said he was impressed with the national response to SWA IDPs and described it more encouraging than at the time of Malakand IDPs crisis. He appealed philanthropists, NGOs and the masses to come forward and assist in the form of warm clothes, bedding, ration packs, baby formula milk either directly in D.I. Khan and Tank through DCOs or through the special support group. He Corps Headquarters of Pakistan army would provide transport facility for relief items from other cities. The Chairman of SSG said about sixty to seventy IDP families are coming out of SWA who are being provided transport to reach D.I.Khan and Tank. However he said some families are also coming from unfrequented routes that could not be provided adequate transport.

(THROUGH ASIA PULSE)