Islamabad: Govt discouraging IDPs entry into capital

[Naveed Yaseen]

By Fazal Sher
ISLAMABAD: The authorities are taking different measures to discourage entry of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) to the federal capital fearing that they would adopt permanent residence here like earthquake victims, an official told Daily Times on Wednesday.

The authorities are trying to keep IDPs outside or in the suburb of the city and they have directed Capital Development Authority (CDA), capital police and other law-enforcement agencies to take special measures in this regard, said the official.

“The authorities have asked CDA not to allow IDPs camping in the city,” he said.

The government has taken this decision keeping in view the current law and order situation and fearing that IDPs might adopt permanent residence like October 8 earthquake victims and Afghan refuges, he added. “The authorities faced many problems to shift earthquake victims to their native towns,” he said.

Search operation: The official said police and law-enforcement agencies had started search operation to check the number and identity of IDPs arrived here from different areas of NWFP and FATA.

He said over 300 families reached Islamabad after launching of military operation against militants in Swat, Buner and Dir. The law-enforcement agencies have constituted special teams and they have started checking IDPs, he said.

“The law-enforcement agencies have directed the teams to conduct strict checking as terrorists might enter the city under the guise of IDPs,” he said, adding, the team are strictly checking national identity cards, number of family members and other related information.

The official said so far over 300 families are residing in different areas of the city including Saray Kharboza, Golra and Sector G-7/1 katchi abadi.

CDA Director Enforcement Faiz Muhammad said the civic body’s high-ups had directed the Enforcement Wing to check the number of IDPs. However, he said they had no clear instructions to discourage the residence or camping of IDPs in the city. The CDA has so far established no camp in the city for IDPs, he said.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp...009_pg11_4