Rehabilitation of TDPs – a national priority

According to sources privy to the deliberations at a meeting of the apex committee of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Military expressed concern over delay in release of funds for repatriation and rehabilitation of temporarily displaced persons (TDPs), and lack of progress on reforms in the tribal region. As per the plan, the repatriation of all TDPs to their areas was scheduled to be completed by November this year. The meeting was told that 128000 TDPs had so far been repatriated while 172000 were expected to be rehabilitated by the stipulated time. The government should give top priority to their rehabilitation, as they are heroes of the nation who have sacrificed their today for the nation’s tomorrow. The hardships they have faced by leaving their abodes to enable the armed forces to conduct operation against the militants will help bring lasting peace in Pakistan.
Since 95 per cent of the area in North Waziristan and Khyber Agency has been cleared, and military is busy in eliminating remnants of the militants, the civil administration with the help of the army should expedite the rehabilitation process for their return to their homes. In fact, repatriation had started from 1st April 2015, but the pace was rather slow because adequate funds were not released in time. Of course, this was not an ordinary undertaking; a staggering number of over one million displaced persons were registered after the security forces began the Zarb-e-Azb military operation against militants on 15th June 2014, which necessitated evacuation of hundreds of thousands of people. The best way to acknowledge their sacrifices was to provide them best possible facilities during temporary stay and now their rehabilitation.
The political administration of the tribal areas was taken off-guard, as it was largely unprepared and ill-positioned to cope with the migration of the agency’s residents seeking out refuge from the battleground. Even the administration of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa was caught napping. But it could be excused, as the tribal TDPs were not its responsibility, technically and constitutionally. Still, it has recovered from its initial hibernation and stepped in energetically to look after the displaced persons. It had immediately released some 350 million rupees from its treasury to the FATA mandarinate. But the bureaucracy should have been in the forefront of this relief effort, but at best it was in the rear of it. The bureaucracy cannot be left to the savoring all plums of office, as it has the responsibility to mitigate pain and grief of the people.
Anyhow, it is nation’s turn to pay TDPs back by ensuring them honorable rehabilitation and reconstruction. Therefore, all political parties of the country and all segments of society should support the government in its efforts to rehabilitate the TDPs. On successful military operation in North Waziristan and Khyber Agency, terrorists have been routed and people are waiting to see the end of their nightmare. With peace restored in the area, its residents have started returning to their homes to lead a normal life. In fact, people of FATA have suffered due to lack of development during British Raj, and also as a result of neglect by the various governments after inception of Pakistan. They deserve to be treated at par with other regions of the country; hence; there is need for FATA reforms, and either to merge it with the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa or accord it status of the province.
The chattering classes, media networks, commentariat and opinion leaders do not even discuss the condition of TDPs, as if the people of the NWA were no human beings worth to be cried for and sympathised with. But all and sundry must know that this TDPs are one of the main pillars of this country and a mainstay of Pakistan. They must be cared for in any event and at every cost, as it is they who have to stand for Pakistan when normalcy returns to the tribal areas and keep the foreign-sponsored and foreign-funded proxies at bay from the region. The military is doing all it can; but the civil administration is still to make its presence felt, and provide adequate funds for their rehabilitation and reconstruction. Keeping them happy means actually the strengthening of the moorings of national solidarity, cohesion and unity.
No doubt difficulties faced by TDPs are multifaceted and painful especially when they helped the military by moving out of their homes to avert collateral damage. The psychological trauma of TDPs is beyond any measurement and every step to provide them relief and quick rehabilitation would have positive impact. All segments of society should be mobilized to ensure their honorable return to their abodes, and must contribute to this cause. Federal and Provincial governments are officially responsible to make arrangements to expedite their return; however philanthropists should contribute so that they start their life, profession and vocations to eke out living, and that their children could go to schools.