PAKISTAN: Pakistani Politicians Agree: Make Amends to Victims of Conflict (The Huffington Post)

Posted by Chris Rogers Politicians in Pakistan agree on little these days. In a country where partisan rivalry runs high, and regional and religious politics compound deep sectarian and ethnic differences, divisiveness is a constant. However, in the last two weeks I have seen consensus around at least one issue: the need to address civilian [...]

CIVIC: New Report Details War Victims’ Urgent Needs in Pakistan

In a new report out today, CIVIC documents civilian losses as the result of armed conflict and  their consequences.  Since 2001, Pakistani military operations, US drone strikes, militant and terror attacks, and other forms of conflict-related violence have killed or injured thousands and displaced millions in northwest Pakistan. CIVIC’s Christopher Rogers spent a year living [...]

PAKISTAN: Victims Continue to Struggle in Jalozai

“How much could a wheelchair cost?”  Rubina exclaimed.  “Seven hundred rupees?”  She took 500 rupees, about $7, from her wallet and turned back to Mahia’s tent to give it to her family. In 2008, while in her home in Bajaur Agency, shrapnel from tank or artillery shelling struck Mahia in the head, paralyzing her and [...]

PAKISTAN: Civilian Victims of Terrorism in Pakistan

By Chris On New Year’s Day, residents of Shah Hassan Khel – a village outside South Waziristan – gathered to watch two local teams face off in a volleyball match.  Suddenly, a suicide bomber plowed his truck into the crowd.  The explosion was felt 11-miles away and decimated the surrounding neighborhood.  Over 100 people from [...]

PAKISTAN: Internally Displaced in Northwest Pakistan

By Chris I’m in Jalozai camp in northwest Pakistan.  Built on a barren, dusty plain, it is a massive tent city with over 80,000 displaced persons.  Residents of Jalozi have little or no access to employment.  They are completely dependent on UN agencies and NGOs for food, water, and other essentials. Plastic sheeting around ‘blocks’ [...]