The 2009 refugee crisis in Pakistan is the massive displacement of civilians in the North-West Frontier Province

North-West Frontier Province

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa , formerly known as the North-West Frontier Province and various other names, is one of the four provinces of Pakistan, located in the north-west of the country...

 (NWFP) of Pakistan

Pakistan

Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...

 that is occurring due to Operation Black Thunderstorm

Operation Black Thunderstorm

Operation Black Thunderstorm was an aggressive military operation that commenced on April 26, 2009 conducted by the Pakistan Army, with the aim of retaking Buner, Lower Dir, Swat and Shangla districts from the Taliban after the militants took control of them since the start of the year.- Background...

.

Since the beginning of Operation Black Thunderstorm against the Taliban over 1.2 million people have been displaced in across Pakistan's NWFP, joined by a further 555,000 Pakistanis uprooted by fighting since August 2008. The refugees are known in Pakistan as Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).

Most of the 1.2 million people who have escaped the violence are staying with relatives or friends, placing tremendous strain on the country, while over 300,000 others are seeking refuge in UNHCR-supported camps.

By August 22, 1.6 million of 2.2 million returned home, as per UN estimates.

Background

UNICEF is responsible to provide WASH facilities at camp level. In this regards they have selected IDP's to fulfill their works in camps e.g., SSD, IRSP, HRDS, HDOD, RID and many other.

Special Support Group (IDPs)

In order to give full support to the government of NWFP to manage and arrange all the maters pertaining to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), Special Support Group (IDPs) was formed at the federal level. Special Support Group (IDPs) has been helping the provincial government to arrange:

• Registration
• Medical Cover
• Camp Management
• Distribution of relief goods

For more information Special Support Group (IDPs)

International response

Country

Response

People's Republic of China People's Republic of China China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres... 's Ambassador to Pakistan Luo Zhao Hui had called on Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani in Islamabad on Saturday and presented him a cheque of $1 million for refugees. Pakistan's Ambassador to China Masood Khan Masood Khan Masood Khan is a career diplomat who is the current Pakistan Ambassador to China since September 2008. Before that he was the ambassador and permanent representative of Pakistan to the United Nations Office at Geneva from 2005 to 2008...  said that China’s total contribution for assistance to the IDPs had now reached $5.4 million.

Non-state entities

Organization Organization An organization is a social group which distributes tasks for a collective goal. The word itself is derived from the Greek word organon, itself derived from the better-known word ergon - as we know `organ` - and it means a compartment for a particular job.There are a variety of legal types of...

Response

United Nations

The United Nations United Nations The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...  made an international appeal for Pakistan IDPs and has so far received one-third of the $150 million it has sought. The UN agencies have provided for 780,000 IDPs as they expand their relief operations.

Weather conditions

The federal government is considering shifting the internally displaced persons (IDPs) from the refugee camp

Refugee camp

A refugee camp is a temporary settlement built to receive refugees. Hundreds of thousands of people may live in any one single camp. Usually they are built and run by a government, the United Nations, or international organizations, or NGOs.Refugee camps are generally set up in an impromptu...

s set up in Mardan

Mardan

Mardan , known as The city of hospitality, is a city and headquarters of Mardan District in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, Pakistan. It is the de facto headquarters of the Yousafzai tribe and the second most populous city in the province, located at 34°12'0N 72°1'60E and an altitude of in the south...

, Nowshera, Swabi

Swabi

Swabi is the capital of Swabi District in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. It is located at 34°7'0N 72°28'0E. Its residents are referred to as 'Swabiwaal.'-Geography:...

 and other hot areas of NWFP to Abbottabad

Abbottabad District

Abbottabad is a district in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. The district covers an area of 1,969 km with the city of Abbottabad being the principal town...

 and Mansehra

Mansehra District

Mansehra District is in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan, an area still unofficially known as the Northwest Frontier. Mansehra district and town are named after Man Singh, a leading general of Mughal Emperor Akbar...

 districts, as they are reportedly not acclimatised to hot weather.

Managing Director Zumurrad Khan of the Pakistan Baitul Maal said that scorching heat in Mardan and other areas of NWFP was unbearable for the IDPs of Swat and Malakand Division.

External links

• Refugees in Pakistan: Incapable Government