Pakistan: Humanitarian access key challenge for UN agencies

United Nations, New York, 20 October 2009 - According to the UN refugee agency, Pakistani civilians continue to flee South Waziristan following the start of military operations against insurgents over the weekend.

UNHCR is supporting the registration of new arrivals in two neighbouring districts of the North West Frontier Province where some 32,000 internally displaced people (IDPs) - comprising almost 4,500 families - have been registered by local authorities since 13 October.

They join more than 80,000 people (11,000 families) who had fled South Waziristan since May this year, bringing the total number of registered displaced to more than 112,000 people.




So far, the IDPs have been accommodated by the host families. Generally, this has been the trend in the north-west part of Pakistan.

However, the government has informed UNHCR they are considering the establishment of camps and the refugee agency says it stands ready to assist in providing all-weather tents and site preparation if required. Various sites are being explored by the government, according to UNHCR.

Meanwhile, access to people in need remains the key challenge for humanitarian agencies in this operation given the volatile security environment in the displacement areas. In addition to the aid given to individual families, assistance will need to be extended to hospitals, schools and other public facilities that may come under strain with large influxes of people.

News Story:
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=32623&Cr=pakistan&Cr1=

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• United Nations
• UN
• humanitarian
• South Waziristan
• UNHCR
• Pakistan