ISLAMABAD: The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is rapidly scaling up food distribution aiming to reach approximately half a million recently displaced people from North Waziristan.
A statement issued by the WFP here on Thursday said that since the start of food distribution yesterday, June 22, WFP has provided 15-day food rations over 4,600 families in Bannu and Lakki Marwat districts.
“We are working closely with the national and provincial authorities and civil society and our utmost priority is to provide food to all displaced people in the shortest possible time,” said Lola Castro, the WFP Pakistan Country Director.
The Disaster Management Authority in the area said that around 36,000 families have been registered as displaced so far following an operation by security forces in North Waziristan earlier this month.
The WFP is aiming to provide food assistance to all those displaced families who have fled their homes and are staying in different parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province (KPK) including Bannu, Lakki Marwat, DI Khan and Tank districts, it added.
It further said that the government of Pakistan has announced on Tuesday an additional contribution of 25,000 metric tonnes of wheat to WFP to continue providing food rations to all displaced people in KPK, including the families from North Waziristan.
With this contribution, WFP will be able to continue its relief assistance until early September; USAID has provided US$ 5.5 million to cover the cost of milling, fortifying and distributing the wheat.
Internews
