The Pakistani military’s offensive against the Taliban militants in the north of the country has displaced more than 4,00,000 people and the number continues to rise, the United Nations refugee agency said on Tuesday.
The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said that most of the families have sought refuge in different parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, with families also arriving in Punjab and Balochistan.Almost all the internally displaced people are being hosted by local communities.According to the latest Pakistani Government registration figures, 435,429 people, including 1,83,000 children, have fled from combat zones in North Waziristan agency since mid-June.
“The Government of Pakistan and our UN and humanitarian community partners expect up to half a million people could be displaced by the current military operations,” UNHCR spokesman Dan McNorton said in a statement.