I. Background
South Waziristan is a mountainous region in northwest Pakistan, bordering Afghanistan. It comprises the area west and southwest of Peshawar between the Tochi River to the North and the Gomal River to the South, forming part of Pakistan's Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). The security operation in South Waziristan Agency (SWA) in 2009 led to the displacement of 107,091 families; the majority of them from the Mehsud tribe. Most of the IDPs are living in host areas where they rent houses or are staying with relatives and extended families in DI khan, Tank, Peshawar and Kohat.
Between 2010 and 2015, a number of organized and spontaneous returns took place. As a result, a total of 47,081 registered families remained displaced on 31 January 2016.
On 13th July, during a Return Task Force (RTF) meeting held at the FDMA office in Peshawar, FDMA informed the Humanitarian community that organized returns of IDPs families to 67 villages of four tehsil of SWA i.e. Sararogha, Sarwakai, Makeen and Ladha would commence on20th July2016
II. Objective and methodology
From14 th to 18th July 2016, IVAP, a protection cluster member, interviewed 340 IDPs through its call centre in Peshawar. The objective of the interview was to capture their intentions and position vis-à-vis the announced return process. IDPs were asked a series of question to ascertain the level of information they have regarding their areas of origin and the return process and how the information help them to make a decision or not to return (see ANNEX 1: Questionnaire).
As per the return SoPs following the authority announcement to organize return in South Waziristan, the Return Task Force (RTF) on 13 July 2016, asked the protection cluster to conduct a Return Intention Survey (RIS). According to government information, it is estimated that about 15,000 – 20,000 IDP families from 67 de-notified villages/areas of South Waziristan Agency (SWA) will be expected to return in coming weeks.