Pak Govt. to deploy 25,000 retired army-men in Malakand to restore normalcy

Islamabad, June 4 (ANI): Pakistan's Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira has announced that the Pak government will deploy around 25,000 retired army personnel in conflict-hit Malakand division for a period of two years to maintain law and order.

Kaira also told reporters that Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani's cabinet has decided on a cash grant disbursement mechanism for Internally Displaced Persons, and they would start receiving 25,000 rupees from next Tuesday.

"UBL, which has latest electronic banking system, will use verified NADRA data and through its 250 in-camps and outside branches would start issuing cards to IDPs from next Monday," The Nation quoted Kaira, as saying.

He said that out of 411,000 registered refugee families, NADRA found 229,000 families to be valid.

Kaira hoped that the government would be able to restore civic amenities in Malakand division within two or three weeks. Hospitals, schools and power stations would be repaired in operation-hit areas, so that the displaced people could return to their homes, he added.

He said that the Prime Minister had appreciated the role of Special Support Group, provincial government and all other departments for their relief activities for IDPs. (ANI)