Daily Times

In 2009, Pakistan Army started operation Rah-e-Nijat against local and foreign militants in South Waziristan agency. Due to this operation, more than one hundred thousand families left their homes and migrated to different parts of the country. Rehabilitation of temporarily displaced persons (TDPs) was a very tough job for the government; however, after three years, the political administration — along with the army — started the return of these TDPs to some areas of South Waziristan agency. This returning process was very slow, and after waiting almost eight long years, our turn came in April 2017.

I, along with my family, reached my village Baddar in South Waziristan Agency from Dera Ismail khan after a six hour-long troublesome journey on an uneven and tough terrain.What I saw was not less than a shock. We had returned with others families to my native land after eight years. It didn’t resemble the home we once had.

We had been forced out of the village due to the conflict between the security forces and militants. We moved and took refuge in a rented house in Dera Ismail Khan since then. All these years, our families were hoping that their sacrifice would not go to waste, and one day, they’ll have their own roof on their head in their own hometown once again.

After living like refugees far away from home, we are once again faced with homelessness in our own hometown after returning. All I see is destruction. The sixteen-room house made of mud and stone is something I could hardly call home, as one shanty room is the only remnant of what used to be a huge mud-house.

One of the residents of the area, Rehman Khan, said that his family now also faces another dilemma in their village Badar, situated on an altitude of 8,000 feet above sea level. The mud and stone structure didn’t resist tough weather conditions and had collapsed. He further said that his town is rainy and during monsoon, he cannot possibly live in one room. He said that the situation has forced him to accommodate his family in one ramshackle room to his protect children from brutal cold that will start in mid-August.

Like other thousands of displaced families, he has not gotten a tent from the disaster management agency to make a temporary shelter for the family. “More than 4,000 houses made from mud and stone have caved in completely or partially in Baddar and its surroundings,” he says.

Rehman’s family is homeless in their own village after seven years. It dawned on him that life in displacement in Dera Ismail Khan had been far better because at least they had electricity, telephonic reception, his children went to school, and drinking water was easily available.

“Here (in Baddar) schools have been destroyed and teachers are not available. I am sending my children back to Dera Ismail Khan to continue their education,” says Rehman.

FATA’s Disaster Management Authority (FDMA) sent over 4000 families of Baddar village back to their homes in April and May this year. Officials said that the resource-starved FDMA could arrange tents for only 400-500 families out of the total 4000 displaced families in Baddar

The internally displaced persons (IDP) have returned to their native lands in South Waziristan Agency without being provided with basic facilities like tents, drinking water, health and education. Schools, basic health centres and drinking water supply systems were damaged in the conflict that started in 2009.The returning process of the IDPs to South Waziristan agency began in 2011-12 when security forces cleared some areas of militants. But line departments of the Civil Secretariat FATA and other agencies did not start immediate rehabilitation and reconstruction activities in the area to fulfil the basic needs of locals who were returning.

Malak Haroon, an elder of the village, says the gravity-fed water supply schemes have been destroyed in the conflict and have not been yet repaired. He says the most immediate problem is provision of drinking water, and people have to bring water from faraway sources.

Many IDPs have returned to their native lands in South Waziristan Agency without being provided with basic facilities like tents, drinking water, health and education; even schools have been destroyed, and Rehman is sending his children back to Dera Ismail Khan so that their education may continue

He said Baddar village with around 40,000-50,000 population had and the only middle school that had been destroyed in the military operation not yet repaired. The condition of health facilities is the same, he adds.

“What will local people do in Baddar village when there is no shop, no school, no agriculture and no health facility,” complains Haroon, adding that even tents have not been provided to arrange makeshift classes for children.

The same problems exist in other conflict-hit areas of FATA. Reports from North Waziristan, Kurram and Khyber agencies say people are challenged by issues like shortage of drinking water, health and education.

Just as this one house (Rehman’s) made in years with love, sweat and blood, went down — just like that, towns have been destroyed in military operations against the militants in tribal areas. As slowly life is coming back to these areas, there is great need for providing these families a solid foundation to start life anew than leaving them waiting for tents in long queues in their own home.

The writer hails from South Waziristan Agency, FATA and has graduated in social sciences from GC University, Lahore

Published in Daily Times, September 11^th 2017.