ISLAMABAD - Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan has asked the federal government to immediately release Rs 6 billion to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government for making arrangements for the internally displaced persons (IDPs) of North Waziristan Agency.
"Military operation has made lives of tribesmen miserable. It was premature to kick off offensive against militants without making arrangements for the IDPs," Imran Khan told reporters during a press conference held here at his residence at Bani Gala.
Imran Khan, who visited Bannu district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province earlier on Sunday, demanded of the federal government to immediately release Rs 6 billion for internally displaced persons (IDPs).
"I was in Bannu district today and witnessed people from North Waziristan heading to safe places on foot. According to my information 350,000 tribesmen including children and women have migrated so far. Figure may reach to 600,000. We need money to make elaborate arrangements to facilitate them," Khan said.
To a question, Khan made it loud and clear that his provincial government was not taken into confidence before launching military operation. "Had the federal government taken us into confidence, we would have taken elaborate measures to facilitate the IDPS," Khan said, adding that the government should have taken at least his party into confidence before conducting the military operation. He said that most of the displaced persons are preferring to stay with their relatives in different parts of KP province, especially in Bannu district.
Khan asked the Pakistan Army to temporarily stop bombardments in areas of North Waziristan Agency where civilian population has not evacuated. He suggested the government to halt military operation until tribesmen reach safe places.
"The government should act immediately to lessen plight of IDPS. Best option is to halt the military operation until IDPS are facilitated," Khan said. He said Imran Khan Foundation and Tabdeeli Razakar of PTI are going to the affected areas for relief efforts. He also appealed to the Sindh and Punjab governments not to stop IDPs from arriving in their provinces. HE added that all cities of the KP province are open for the IPDs.