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Alert
Pakistan
IDP influx from Tirah Valley/ Khyber Agency
Geneva, 10 May 2013
1. Brief description of the emergency and impact
Since mid-March 2013 more than 50,000 people, mainly women and children, have been forced to flee from their villages in Tirah Valley/ Khyber Agency, which borders Orakzai and Kurram agencies of the Federally Administered Tribal Area (FATA), as the result of heavy clashes between militant groups and military operations. According to the UNHCR, the number of registered IDPs currently stands at about 12,000 families and could easily rise to 20,000 to 30,000 families within the next weeks due to ongoing military operations and instability in the region. Most of the displaced people have sought refuge in Kurram Agency, Hangu and Kohat as well as the districts of Peshawar and Nowshera where approximately 90 % are living off-camp in settlements and rented houses with local host communities.
2. Why is an ACT response needed
According to OCHA, and taking into consideration the overall insecurity in the districts bordering Afghanistan, most of the families will remain displaced for at least the next 6 months. Meanwhile, the host communities are totally overwhelmed with the sheer number of displaced people. Some of the families fled on foot and most – the elderly, children, women and sick people – have only those things that they could carry. Identified needs for the IDPs are basic relief items such as food, shelter, health care, cash and clean water.
3. National and international response
The Pakistani Government, through national and provincial disaster management authorities, along with OCHA Emergency Response Fund and international humanitarian organizations are providing assistance - small quantities of food, water and non-food items to off-camp IDPs along with plastic sheeting and tents to those in the camps. UNHCR is currently registering the IDPs (with the Norwegian Refugee Council) and providing non-food items and tents.
4. ACT Alliance response
ACT forum Pakistan members, Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe (DKH), Church World Service Pakistan / Afghanistan (CWS P/A), Norwegian Church Aid (NCA), ICCOenKerkinAktie (ICCO) and CA Christian Aid (not present with own office in Pakistan) meet regularly and share information and assessment reports on the IDP situation. ACT forum is present, through its members and/or implementing partners, in the respective clusters and coordination meetings. ACT members CWS P/A and NCA are preparing to respond to the humanitarian crisis individually in a joint ACT appeal. CWS has launched an appeal for emergency assistance in the USA and DKH is approaching the German Foreign Ministry for funds.
5. Planned activities
ACT forum members, as per assessments carried out, will provide food and non-food items, health and water and sanitation.
6. Constraints
The volatile security situation and access restrictions (some host communities are no-go-areas for expatriates or accessible only with armed military escort) plus the reluctant decision of the Pakistani Government to allow humanitarian aid in some areas.
The non existing media coverage outside Pakistan could limit the success of fund raising activities and prevent ACT forum members from responding in a timely manner.
Any funding indication or pledge should be communicated to Jean-Daniel Birmele, Director of Finance (jbi@actalliance.org).
