Thousands Displaced by Military Operation in Pakistan
Nytimes reports that thousands of Pakistanis who lived along the border with Afghanistan were driven from their homes last month ahead of what local officials said would be a military campaign, a move national officials now say they never ordered. District officials estimate more than 60,000 people were displaced in the Tirah valley.
Local and national authorities have offered conflicting accounts: local governments say they were told to move residents, while national officials in Islamabad deny issuing such an order and the defense minister described the movement as a seasonal migration. Pakistan’s army has not issued a statement, and displaced families say they are stuck and fearful they will not receive promised compensation.
The evacuation began in early January, with many people making difficult journeys to the town of Bara and other nearby areas, facing snow and freezing temperatures.
Pakistan, Tirah valley