Bara IDPs suffering in registration process

BARA: The internally displaced persons (IDPs) belonging to several tribes of Bara tehsil, Khyber Agency, are suffering during the registration process in Milward area in Akakhel, a number of affectees said on Sunday.
After the completion of the Akakhel tribe’s registration, the Fata Disaster Management Authority (FDMA) started registration process of the other tribes of the area a few days ago. However, an elder of Akakhel tribe said about 3,000 of their families were yet to be registered.
“This is third day that I come here for registration but the FDMA has failed to make proper arrangements for the affected people,” said Muhammad Khan, a driver, at the Milward registration point.
He said the administration had made unsatisfactory arrangements for people receiving tokens near the Qaumi Masjid in the scorching heat.“When I reached the registration counter after three hours wait, an official directed me to produce a tribal elder and property documents,” he said.
“How is it possible for me to produce an elder and property documents in such a situation?” he questioned.Hassan Khan, belonging to the Malikdinkhel tribe, said the FDMA did not announce registration process tribe-wise for those living in Akakhel area.
“Every tribe reached the registration point early in the morning but the security forces and members of the peace body asked members of all the tribes except Qambarkhel to go back home,” he added.
Muhammad Sadiq, a fourth year student, said: “I have come here several times for registration by absenting from college but still I could not get registered due to the poor arrangements.”
“We are forced to wait for hours. And then they ask the tribes living in Akakhel area to produce guarantors and documents,” he said.He added that some people had bought property in Akakhel area 50 years ago but they don’t any documents now. “The FDMA officials are forcing us to meet such conditions,” he added.
He said that before the registration process, the security forces had already marked each house and had also listed the names of the Akakhel residents.The tribesmen asked the authorities to make proper arrangements of drinking water during the registration process. They also asked the FDMA officials and political administration to solve the problems of the affected tribes in Akahkel area.
When contacted, Assistant Political Agent, Bara subdivision, Muhammad Nasir Khan, quoted the elders of Akakhel tribe as saying that the families living in Akakhel area were hardly recognizable at the registration point.
He said the elders of Akakhel had agreed to the proposal to ask the tribesmen to bring their property documents during the registration process. He said the political administration wanted to solve the problems facing the people and decide on a new method for registration of other tribes today.