KOHAT: On completion of nine years of their `expulsion` from Parachinar, the displaced families here have appealed to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governor to ensure the implementation of various jirga agreements and release proper fundsfortheirrehabilitation.

Talking to mediapersons here on Wednesday, Reforms Committee Parachinar secretary general Attaullah Ghilji and president Haji Sawab Khan regretted that the political administration of Kurram Agency and the government did not seem serious about the resettlement of around 800 families who had been living their lives in conditions worse than refugees in their own country.

They demanded of the authorities concerned to ban those elements who possessed heavy weapons and were fanning sectarianism in Parachinar, and announce relief package for the affected businessmen before their return and declare Parachinar city as cantonment area.

Answering a question, Mr Ghilji said that the government had given each family Rs150,000 as first installment for the reconstruction of their properties, which, he added, was insufficient. He said that the government had given Rs50,000 to the families whose houses were partially damaged. He claimed all such houses were extensively damaged.

They demanded implementation of 2011 jirga agreement and the Murree accord of 2009 reached between the MPs and elders of both Shia and Sunni sects for early rehabilitation of the displaced families. They also demanded reinstatement of lady health visitors on government jobs and payment of their blocked salaries.

Answering a question, Mr Ghilji said that the tribesmen could give their lives, but could not sell their properties or weapons and leave their homes to settle elsewhere. He said that their children could not get proper education and their future was going to be spoiled due to delay in resettlement.

He said that in Kohat the families were living on Zakat received from the people though they owned billions of worth of property, including shops, in Parachinar. He said that the only thing hindering their return was security concerns.

Asked about the resettlement of Parachinar families who were displaced nine years ago, Kohat division commissioner Musarrat Hussain told this correspondent that he was in touch in this regard with the political administration of Kurram Agency.

He said that the first challenge before the government was to pave the way for the return of those affected families. He said that all the sensitive matters had been resolved between both the sects and the families would be sent back soon.

About payment of compensation to the 800 families for rebuilding their houses and restarting their businesses, he said that all the business community would be paid seed money for investment. However, he claimed that most of the affected families did not want to return to Parachinar because they were well settled in Kohat, Peshawar, Abbottabad, Nowshera and other areas.