Japan gives $9 mn for refugees in Pakistan’s northwest

ISLAMABAD - Japan has donated $9 million to the World Food Programme (WFP) for the rehabilitation of civilians displaced by last year’s military operations against the Taliban in Pakistan’s restive northwest, it was announced here Tuesday.

“WFP is extremely grateful for this generous and very timely donation from Japan. Those who have already suffered the worst effects of war are now desperately in need of sustainable interventions that will help them to re-start their lives and

livelihoods,” Wolfgang Herbinger, the WFP representative in Pakistan, said in a statement.

Over the past 10 months, the WFP has been providing life-saving food rations for up to 2.7 million displaced people. The latest contribution will benefit 1.6 million people. The donation will enable WFP to procure 12,000 tonnes of various foods produced and processed in Pakistan, Online news agency reported.

“While engaging people in activities that help to restore social and human capital as well as physical assets, we also ensure that their basic household food needs are met”, said Herbinger.

To this end, the programme involves implementing a variety of food-based initiatives aimed at rehabilitating damaged community infrastructure in the conflict’s aftermath. Food rations will be provided to participants in agricultural and infrastructural reconstruction projects.

Food rations will also be given to girls and boys enrolled in primary schools, helping students to resume their studies. Pregnant and nursing women will benefit from the provision of nutritionally-fortified food when attending medical facilities.

“Supporting crisis-affected people and communities in north-west Pakistan is one of the priority areas in our assistance policy. We are happy to be able to contribute, by helping WFP, to support those vulnerable people,” Japanese Ambassador Chihiro Atsumi said.

The military operations had begun in the North West Frontier Province last April and within six months, the militants were pushed into their strongholds in South Waziristan, where the fighting still rages.