Each IDP family will receive Rs40,000 in Ramzan: PM Nawaz

BANNU: Prime Minister Mian Nawaz Sharif on Friday arrived in Bannu district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to visit the camps of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and announced that each family will receive Rs40,000 in Ramzan package, Geo News reported.

Army Chief General Raheel Sharif welcomed the prime minister on his arrival. Chief Minister KPK Pervez Khattak, Governor Mehtab Abbasi, federal ministers Pervaiz Rasheed and Qadir Baloch accompanied the premier.

The PM was briefed over problems faced by the IDPs and the arrangements made for their relief. At this occasion, the prime minister vowed to address and solve all the problems faced by the displaced families. He said that it is the government’s responsibility to provide relief to the affected families.

PM Nawaz said that the government and military is jointly working day and night to resolve the issues faced by the IDPs. He acknowledged that it is not easy for the families to leave their houses, but hoped that the difficult times will be over soon.

He said that damage assessment will be done once IDPs will return to their houses and decision about the construction phase would take place.

He, then, prayed for the safety of Pakistan and eliminating terrorists and militancy from the country.

Nearly half a million people have fled a military operation Zarb-e-Azb against Taliban strongholds in North Waziristan.

Tens of thousands of families have fled to the town of Bannu, close to North Waziristan, while hundreds more have moved further afield to Lakki Marwat, Karak and Dera Ismail Khan towns, since the offensive began in mid-June.

Earlier, PM Nawaz had invited Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman, Imran Khan to undertake a joint visit with him to the camps established for the IDPs, but Imran responded that he has already visited the camp on June 22. The PTI chief rejected the offer, saying that his party has planned a rally in Bahawalpur today.