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Over 455,000 people displaced from North Waziristan Agency - OCHA situation report

Countries
Pakistan
Sources
OCHA
Publication date

Highlights

  • The number of people displaced from North Waziristan Agency (NWA) has increased to over 455,000 people, with over 74 per cent of those displaced, women and children. Over 380,000 people have been displaced in just over a week, following the launch of the Government’s security operations on 15 June.

  • The Government is providing cash grants IDPs as they register, along with other assistance. Humanitarian partners are providing food and health support while preparing to scale up the response.

  • Displacements provide an opportunity to vaccinate children against polio, while at the same time pose a threat of further spread of polio to urban centres.

  • Priority needs include protection, food, shelter, health, water, sanitation and hygiene. Urgent funding resources are needed to scale up the humanitarian response.

  • On 24 June, the Government sent a letter requesting the humanitarian community to extend humanitarian assistance to the newly displaced IDPs from NWA, in addition to the already displaced 930,000 people.

  • The Government has provided 25,000 metric tons of wheat to WFP to support the newly displaced IDPs from NWA.

455,000+ Displaced from NWA as of 24 June
74 % Of the NWA IDPs are women and children
930,000 Pre-existing displaced people in KP and FATA in need of humanitarian assistance
1.6 m Registered Afghan Refugees
US$ ? Needed for the humanitarian Response for NWA IDPs
US$12m Pledged by donors

Situation Overview

The Government commenced the military operation in NWA on 15 June, targeting non-state armed actors’ hideouts. The operations prompted large scale displacements to neighbouring districts of Bannu, Lakki Marwat, Karak, Dera Ismail Khan and Kohat in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province; Bakkar and Fatehjang in Punjab Province and other parts of the country, as well as, to Afghanistan. Reports indicate over 14,000 people have reached Afghanistan. As of 24 June, the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) Disaster Management Authority (FDMA) has reported registering over 455,000 IDPs (36,700 families). This number far exceeds the initial estimates of 250,000 IDPs. The displacements appear to have ceased from the designated exit points from NWA, as the authorities re-imposed a curfew following a five-day relaxation that allowed over 350,000 people to move out of the conflict zone. However, further displacements are expected as the security operation is extended to other parts of the Agency. The majority of the IDPs are women (32 per cent) and children (42 per cent). The displacements are creating opportunities to vaccinate children against polio, most of whom had never received a vaccine. At the same time, movement of the displaced people into new location carries a threat of spread of polio into new areas. The Government health teams, supported by the UN, are vaccinating people at exit points from NWA.

The displaced people are facing hardships due to security restrictions, lack of transport, and inflated fares when exiting. The Government made provisions for the fleeing families, however, due to the mass exodus, their facilities are overwhelmed. The Government has established a camp in FR Bannu, yet, almost all of the IDPs are choosing to live with friends and relatives, in rented accommodations, or in temporary shelters, such as Government schools – which were closed two weeks early for summer season to accommodate the displaced families. The huge influx of IDPs has put a strain on the already existing facilities in the hosting areas.

Following comprehensive preparations in contingency planning for NWA, humanitarian partners are geared up to address the challenges facing the displaced population with an aim to support 500,000 IDPs for six months. WFP and partners have started food distribution, while the water, sanitation and hygiene activities will start soon.

The Federal Government has announced PKR500 million (US$5 million), KP Provincial Government PKR350 million ($3.5 million) and Punjab Government PKR500 million ($5 million) for IDPs support. Each registered family is receiving PKR 12,000 ($120) to meet their immediate needs. The Government has distributed cash relief of PKR 19, 224,000 ($192,240) to more than 1,600 families for their food and NFIs as of 24 June.

A team comprising UN Department for Safety and Security and OCHA is conducting an assessment on security, physical access, and the overall humanitarian situation to Dera Ismail Khan and Bannu districts. Additionally, the team will assess the potential vulnerability related to the monsoon rains to the physical access routes and the response.

UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs: To learn more about OCHA's activities, please visit https://www.unocha.org/.