BARA: Internally displaced persons (IDPs) from the lower Tirah Valley, particularly from Sandapal and Darey Naghari, have complained that they have yet to be registered even three years after their displacement.
They said they were forced to leave their homes and belongings under extremely difficult circumstances, but no government department has so far extended any meaningful support or even formally acknowledged them.
They maintained that their complete details had already been shared with the district administration, members of the provincial assembly, and the chief minister, but the registration process has yet to be initiated.
“We were forcibly displaced from different areas of lower Tirah three years ago,” said social activist and elder Turab Ali Afridi while speaking to The News, adding that they have remained deprived of basic amenities since then.
He feared that they might once again be deprived of financial assistance from the Provincial Disaster Management Authority.
Turab Ali Afridi also raised objections to the 24-member Tirah committee, alleging that it had failed to address their concerns in official meetings or engagements. He said their families have been facing multiple challenges, including lack of access to education, healthcare, and employment opportunities.
“Our homes, hujras (male guest houses), and shops in Tirah have been destroyed due to heavy rain and snowfall over the past three years,” he pointed out, adding that their agriculture sector has also been ruined following their displacement.
Other elders and affectees from Sandapal and Darey Naghari said they have been living in a state of uncertainty since their displacement three years ago.
“We had hoped that our registration would be carried out during the process conducted for Tirah Maidan, but unfortunately, all promises made remained unfulfilled,” said another displaced person.
They urged Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Muhammad Sohail Afridi, Senator Mirza Muhammad Afridi, members of the provincial and national assemblies, and the Khyber deputy commissioner to issue immediate directives for the registration of the affected families.
