By Adnan Rafique
ISLAMABAD: Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Poverty Alleviation and Social Protection, Dr. Sania Nishtar Thursday announced that Ehsaas Emergency Cash payments to internally displaced families returning to Tirah valley will begin next week from March 24.
“Each of the 15,699 returning families will be paid one off assistance of Rs. 20,000 under Ehsaas Emergency Cash programme. All payments will be mobilized through the biometric payment system of Ehsaas. Arrangements are being made to run smooth cash transfer operations”, Dr. Sania said.
Earlier this month, Dr. Sania made a visit to Tirah valley to ascertain the extent of assistance needed by returning families. During the visit, she sat with affected families and interacted with them to listen to their problems.
Towards the end of her visit, Dr. Sania had also announced the Ehsaas Emergency Cash package for 15,699 families, after the Prime Minister’s approval. The visit was facilitated by the Pakistan Army and Frontier Corps North Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Ehsaas has also set up Ehsaas Registration Desks in the valley to update the shock responsive registry of Ehsaas and to register the deserving families for financial aid through the cash transfer programmes of Ehsaas.
Located near Afghan border, Tirah valley is in Khyber Tribal district, around 90 km away from Peshawar. Owing to terrorist activities and military operation, locals had to vacate the area.
Security forces have now successfully cleared the area and peace is restored. Displaced families are coming back to their homes after twelve years.
