Tirah Valley: Local authorities have insisted that many families have been forced to migrate from different areas due to fear after militants were spotted in Tirah Valley of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa district.
According to media reports, local officials told Dawn on condition of anonymity that the frightened families of Sanda Pal, Jarhobi, Doa Khale, Baghrai, Khapur and Dere Nagri have either shifted to the adjoining tribal district of Orakzai or Dar Juma. They have gone to their relatives and friends residing in Sher Khel and Murgat Khel areas.
He further said that the displaced people belong to Kamrakhel, Akakhel, Zakakhel and Sepah tribes and they had recently returned to their homes in the valley after a decade of displacement.
Officials said that during the migration of these families, a camp was set up for these displaced persons in Sukh area.
Tribesmen told Permedia on condition of anonymity that they were told to leave their homes immediately while there was no arrangement for the transfer of goods.
He said that elderly people, women and children also covered a long distance on foot.
Officials insisted that the affected families would not remain homeless for long and all these families would be registered with the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA).
He said that most of these families were not registered before returning to their areas.
Officials also said that the suspects entered areas that had been de-notified by security officials.
The tribesmen insisted that armed men were present in some areas even before they began returning to their homes in June.
They said that their elders had reported the presence of these ‘undesirable’ elements to the local authorities but no action was taken against them.
The tribesmen claimed that they had been told to either hand over the armed men to the security forces or leave the area immediately following the IED attacks on security check posts and convoys a few days ago.
2 soldiers were injured in these attacks while vehicles were also damaged.
Some families who arrived in Bara said they were told to leave their homes while they were rebuilding their damaged houses under aid to cope with the severe cold weather, which authorities said was still in ruins. Property has not been assessed.
Tribesmen say most of the gunmen belong to the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and their presence causes fear and anger among residents.
In Bara, activists of political parties and civil society and businessmen had organized a ‘peace march’ under the banner of Khyber Political Alliance on September 4 and demanded an immediate crackdown from the security forces against the suspected militants.
KSI Bara chapter chief Shah Faisal Afridi told Dawn that law enforcement agencies have failed to stop the sudden return of ‘miscreants’ in some parts of Tirah, causing people to panic.
He said that the ‘miscreants’ were involved in the target killing of at least four policemen and extorting money from local businessmen and politicians.
