NOWSHERA, Nov 27: The internally displaced persons (IDPs) at Jalozai camp staged a demonstration on Wednesday to protest against continued suspension of power supply, provision of low quality food items and forced eviction of IDPs from the camp.

The IDPs from Khyber Agency, who were led by Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf tribal leader Iqbal Afridi, staged the protest on the premises of the camp here.

Chanting slogans against the government and camp administration, the IDPs demanded provision of quality eatables, early restoration of electricity and stoppage of forced eviction of affected families presently residing in the Jalozai camp.

`The wheat flour and other edible items, being provided to us, are of very low quality and even worse than the cattle fodder,` said Mr Afridi while addressing the gathering.The protesters criticised the camp administration and government authorities for their failure to restore power supply, which remained suspended for the last three months due to non-payment of bills. They alleged that despite repeated reminders and protest demonstrations the authorities could not restore the power supply.

The protesters also criticised the decision of shifting IDPs in phase-3 and 4 to a place somewhere outside the camp.

They demanded of the government to reverse the decision, as it would multiply problems of the displaced people.

Yaseen Khalil, advisor to the chief minister, meanwhile assured Mr Afridi on phone that problems of the displaced people would be resolved in due course of time. He said that electricity would be restored in the camp on priority basis.

Mr Khalil said that action would be taken against officials found involved insupplying low quality food to the IDPs.

SIMINAR: Speakers at seminar here on Wednesday urged the womenfolk to play active role in coming local government election.

The seminar was organised by Awaz Project of Aurat Foundation here at a local hotel and attended by deputy commissioner, Nowshera, Zakaullah Khattak, regional director AF Shabeena Ayaz, ex-nazim Naila Naz and others.

The speakers said that women could play a pivotal role in building society if chance was given to them. They said that the government and other stakeholders should give proper space to women to build a balanced society in Pakistan.

They said that the project was basically designed to create awareness of the key issues on which women could play important role for the development of the country.