IDPs being ignored, say Orakzai tribesmen

HANGU: The tribesmen from Orakzai Agency on Monday criticised the government for turning a blind eye to the problems being faced by the internally displaced persons (IDPs).
Vice-chairman of the Muttahida Qabail Party Habib Noor Orakzai and other elders flayed the political administration for not allowing them to hold the jirga inside the headquarters of Orakzai Agency.
Speaking on the occasion, the elders came down hard on the federal and provincial governments and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governor for not taking interest in resolving the problems of the displaced Orakzai tribespeople. The elders said that tribespeople had been displaced for years and had been living at camps or rented houses in Kohat and Hangu districts for several years.
“The displaced families should have been sent back to their respective villages after the security forces cleared their areas,” Habib Noor told the jirga. “Despite repeated requests to security forces and political administration, the tribespeople have not been provided any timeframe for their return,” he added. The elders flayed the political administration for banning their entry into the agency headquarters.