Most internally displaced people return home in NW Pakistan following restored peace

ISLAMABAD, Feb. 24 (Xinhua) -- Ninety-six percent of "temporary displaced persons" have returned their native areas in Pakistan's northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province after the restoration of peace in tribal areas, said the province governor.

Governor Iqbal Zafar Jhagra said on Friday that approximately 350,000 families have returned to their native places, adding that remaining families are in the process of return and this phase will be completed soon.

He added that the federal government is providing 25,000 rupees (around 250 U.S. dollars) and six-months ration to each returning person's family as compensation.

According to local disaster management authority, about 2 million people got displaced since the Pakistani military launched operations against militants in the country's tribal areas bordering Afghanistan.

Large-scale displacement of civilians was observed after the start of military operation Zarb-e-Azb in June 2014 with more than one million people migrated from tribal areas to different parts of the country. Enditem