Swat IDPs to return home from Monday

Peshawar, July 11 (ANI): The North Western Frontier Government has charted out a three-phased rehabilitation plan for the internally displaced persons (IDPs) of the Swat Valley.

Under the first phase beginning Monday, the IDPs from 11 camps will return to the valley, the Dawn quoted NWFP Information Minister Mian Iftikhar Hussain, as saying.

This would be followed by return of off-camp IDPs, which would continue for 10 days. arlier, the Emergency Response Unit had prepared a plan for the return of IDPs from Buner, but most of them have already gone to their areas.

"We have assessed that around 70 per cent of the IDPs from Buner have already returned and, if required, we will provide transport to the remaining people from there," an ERU official said.

Under the revised plan, around 5,760 displaced families from Landakai, Kota, Guratai and Barikot areas of Swat will leave for their areas on July 13 and 14 in the first phase.

In the second phase, another 5,760 families from Ghalagai, Maniar, Udigram and Ballogram would return on July 15 and 16.

In the final phase, around 11,520 families from Mingora City, Central City, Hajiabad and Malukabad would leave for their areas from July 17 to 20.

In a bid to thwart off any untoward incident, fool-proof security measures would be adopted and the route leading to Swat would be manned by the army, Frontier Constabulary and police, Hussain informed.

"Curfew will remain intact in the Malakand region and the vehicles used for transportation of the IDPs will carry special stickers," he said.

Hussain added that army helicopters would also fly along the convoys. Each convoy will have about 40 vehicles, including buses and trucks.

A schedule for return of the IDPs from other areas of Swat, Dir and Buner would be announced after the completion of the three-phase plan. (ANI)