IDPs’ Catch-22

Quaid-e-Azam had promised to respect the lifestyle of the people of Fata. During the cold war, the fight between two elephants needed a ground and we had provided the two superpowers a grassy ground in the tribal areas, without realising that when elephants fight it is the grass that gets trampled. The result of this ill-conceived decision is before us. Today thousands of families are living as IDPs in their own country.
During Ramazan they even braved death when they were fired upon while agitating against the restrictions placed on their movement outside the Bakakhel camp in Peshawar. It seems these people are in a Catch-22 situation in which they are doomed either way.
Muhammad Gohar Yaqoob Khan
Lahore