KOHAT, Oct 12: The internally displaced persons (IDPs) from Khyber Agency staged a protest demonstration here on Saturday, demanding the promised food and cash package on return to their native areas.

Hundreds of male members of the IDP families blocked the Indus Highway near Jarma here when they were told that they would not be given the food and cash package following their repatriation.

DSP Ehsanullah immediately reached the spot along with political tehsildar of Frontier Region, Kohat, and held talks with the protesters.

They assured the IDPs that food and transport would be provided to each family willing to return their native areas. On their assurance, the protesters opened the road and dispersed.

Earlier, the Fata Disaster Management Authority official had said that 1,400 repatriated families were given hygiene kit, food, transport and medicines by the World Food Programme. The fresh returning families would be given Rs25,000 each after they stayed in their villages for two months because earlier the repatriated families had returned to the IDP camps.

This money was being provided to the displaced persons to repair their houses and resume growing crops for livelihood.

Severe winter conditions have already started in Khyber Agency and the returning families would need food stock for at five months because agriculture is not possible during this period.