IDP's

http://www.thefrontierpost.com/News.aspx?ncat=hn&nid=3199&ad=02-12-2008

FATA IDPs in twin cities struggling for survival

Yasir Babbar
ISLAMABAD: Internally displaced people from FATA-Federally Administered Tribal Areas-are facing worst time of their lives as they are struggling for survival while living in Islamabad and Rawalpindi. These people are struggling for acquiring basic needs to survive as the government has failed to rehabilitate them properly. They were forced to shift from their ancestral abodes to safer places in the wake of continued attacks by militants in various FATA areas like South Waziristan, North Waziristan, Mohmand Agency, Khyber Agency, Kurram Agency, Bajaur and others. Their migration is continuing as yet. According to official figures, over two lakh FATA people have migrated to Islamabad and Rawalpindi temporary settling in Bhara Kahu, Chak Shahzad, Tirsamri, Sohan, Iqbal Town of Islamabad and Faizabad, Shakrial, Khanna Dak and densely populated suburbs of Rawalpindi. A survey by this scribe revealed that two to three families are living under one roof due to high hiring rates in twin cities. School going children are doing petty jobs to earn their livelihoods. Moosa Khan of North Waziristan told The Frontier Post that he had a home there. Here he was living in a rented accommodation with family-wife, two daughters and a son. "My children were studying there but here I can't afford education expenses as my earning is just Rs. 150-250 daily," he added. Kaleem Ullah of Kurram Agency told The Frontier Post that, "I am living in Sohan in a housed hired on Rs.6000 per month which includes utility bills. I am a taxi driver and use to earn 300 to 400 daily. About Rs 200 to 300 are my daily expenses of livelihood," he said. Explaining the worst conditions of other displaced persons, he said that like him, there are many people belonging to areas of FATA, facing many troubles in their lives, many are jobless, many have not roofs and so many are thinking of committing suicides. The FATA IDPs are helplessly living in the twin cities. The government should take their woes seriously and redress their grievances urgently.
yasirbabbar@gmail.com