Entire nation stands by IDPs, says Zardari

SWABI: President Asif Zardari on Friday urged the nation to help millions of internally displaced persons (IDPs), who had been forced out of their homes in a bid to rid their land of extremists and terrorists.

In a brief address to a gathering of IDPs here at the Shah Mansoor camp, the president noted that the displaced people, who had rendered the great sacrifice of leaving their homes, needed the support of the people of Pakistan in their hour of need.

I am here to share your sufferings and problems, the president said and added the entire nation stood by them.The president, who earlier visited various sections of the camp and distributed gifts among the children and relief goods among the people, said the whole nation stood by their brethren from the areas affected by the conflict.

He directed that the best possible facilities be provided to the people and said the entire government machinery was geared up to providing all possible assistance to the affected people.He said a model camp would be set up at Jalozai and the injured and handicapped would be provided wheelchairs and other facilities.

He urged the victims to keep up their spirits and promised that the government would try to provide them better facilities they had before the operation began. He urged them to support the government and the Army in their efforts to eliminate the extremists.

Zardari said he was in a position to understand their pain as he himself was a victim of terrorism and added the day was not far when they would return to their homes. The president, accompanied by Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira and Interior Minister Rehman Malik, soon after his return from Karachi, went to the camp that houses refugees from the Malakand Division.

The president was received by NWFP Chief Minister Amir Haider Khan Hoti and Lt-Gen Nadeem Ahmed, Chairman of the Special Support Group, and was informed about the facilities being provided to the IDPs.

The president went around various sections of the camp and saw the food, medical and residential facilities being provided to the people. The camp houses 2,200 tents with 1,450 families, besides over 1,000 children aged 1 to 5 years. 

Our correspondent adds from Islamabad: Briefing newsmen on his visit to the camp, President s spokesman Farhatullah Babar said during his visit the president announced a host of relief measures, besides setting up of five district monitoring committees, directing its members to be available to the IDPs at all times to redress their grievances and to implement the relief measures announced by the government.

The spokesman said the president was given a briefing on the relief and rehabilitation work in progress. The president also visited the medical unit and enquired about the facilities available there.

The spokesman quoted the president as saying that the government had also launched a campaign to seek international assistance in the relief and rehabilitation operation. You will not stay in these camps indefinitely and will return to your homes sooner than later and do not have to worry about your damaged properties as the government will repair and rebuild it for you, he added.

The president said the fight against militancy could not be left midway and had to be pursued to its logical conclusion because it was the fight for the survival of Pakistan. He said the government, with the consent of parliament, had adopted the policy of 3Ds Dialogue, Deterrence and Development as guiding principles in waging the war against the militancy. He said the introduction of the Nizam-e-Adl Regulation on the recommendations of parliament was an honest effort for dialogue on the part of the government.

However, he said instead of returning to peace, the militants continued on the warpath and even sought to extend their reach to other areas like Buner and publicly challenged the writ of the state. It was at this stage when it was decided to resort to the deterrence mode of the three pronged strategy, the spokesperson quoted the president as saying.

The policy of using force against the militants at this stage also had political ownership and a broad-based national support. Let there be no doubt or mistake that the government is mindful of its responsibilities and will never allow the militants to impose their obscurantist agenda on the people through the use of force, bullets and guns, the president said.

He said the government had already announced that every displaced family, whether in or out of the camps, will receive an initial grant of Rs 25,000. This grant will be paid through their accounts in the National Bank of Pakistan or any other bank designated by the State Bank.

He said the NBP and other banks designated by the State Bank will establish counters in every camp to open the accounts. Families living off camps may open account at any regular NBP branch or any other bank designated by the State Bank, he said.

He also announced free-of-cost unstitched cotton cloth for eight Shalwar Kameez suits at special outlets in camps to be established shortly for families. Tailoring facilities will also be made available at camps. Families living off the camps will also be entitled to receive similar clothing for which modalities will be announced separately, he added.

Babar said President Zardari announced that children complexes would be set up in every camp by the Bait-ul-Mal. He said a model camp had started functioning at Jalozai. President Zardari directed that the Bait-ul-Mal would arrange regular care, residence and education of children, who have lost their parents or/and do not have any guardian.

The Bait-ul-Mal will provide wheelchairs to physically disabled persons in the camps. The president said the federal government had appointed MNA Asma Alamgir as the coordinator of relief efforts for the IDPs. She will co-chair the IDP relief meetings with the NWFP chief minister on a regular basis to ensure transparency and quick and efficient delivery of relief funds and goods to the IDPs.

The minister of state for Frontier regions will move his headquarters to the NWFP until further orders to oversee the relief operations, together with the federal coordinator and the NWFP chief minister.

The chief minister will chair regular meetings attended by the coordinator, the NWFP senior minister, the secretary Safron, the chief secretary and conveners of district relief committees for review of relief efforts and prompt decisions to ensure transparency, efficiency and effective coordination.

The spokesman said the president also announced setting up of five relief committees for each district to monitor the relief efforts in their respective jurisdictions. The president directed the committees to meet every alternate day and the IDPs would have immediate access to their offices functioning round-the-clock.