Absence of NGOs being felt in relief work

[Naveed Yaseen]

Javed Aziz Khan
PESHAWAR: Though thousands of kind-hearted individuals and families have extended support to the violence-affected people of Malakand, yet the absence of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in the relief operation has been greatly felt.

Over a million people have fled homes in Bajaur Agency and Malakand Division since military operation was launched in two areas. Several families from the Mohmand Agency have also registered their members in the camps, located in re-latively peaceful parts of the province.

One is encouraged to see how the commoners of Swabi, Mardan, Peshawar and Nowshera are sharing their houses and facilities with the displaced people.

Majority of the houses in these districts have accommodated three to five families from Malakand who are being provided food and clothes.

“Almost all villages of the Swabi district have accom-modated thousands of IDPs as their guests. Women have been lodged inside the houses while males are residing in hujras,” said Ali Rahman of Shewa Adda in Swabi, who has been hosting around 60 male and female individuals for the past one week.

In this time of need, very few of the reputed NGOs can be seen launching their operations in the IDP camps. The Tarakai family is solely hosting over 8,000 male and female members at their sprawling house as well as their charity schools.

The provincial president of Tehrik-e-Insaf is also provid-ing food, accommodation and other facilities to hundreds of IDPs. Local leaders of the Awami National Party, Pakistan People’s Party, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid, Jamaat-e-Islami, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam and Pakistan People’s Party-Sherpao are also contributing to sooth and compensate the IDPs.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=176950