Pakistan: preparations for new refugee site suspended

On Thursday, local people blocked a bulldozer which was heading out to start clearing the road for a camp site that had been identified in the Khyber area in Pakistan's North West Frontier Province. The bulldozer was prevented from starting work on the site, and preparations have been suspended pending talks with the local population. The incident illustrates the considerable difficulties aid workers face in trying to set up camps in the tribal areas.

Preparation work is expected to begin tomorrow on five sites in Kurram agency. Initial basic works - including demarcation, road development and provision of basic water and sanitation - should take around 10 days.

UNHCR Peshawar is expecting a convoy of seven trucks carrying some 2,700 tents today. The tents are part of UNHCR's order for 40,000 tents from Pakistan suppliers. In Quetta, a convoy with 660 tents is expected to arrive today followed by another convoy with 800 tents later in the day. As of next week, regular daily convoys will be delivering 1,000 tents a day from a Pakistani supplier in Karachi.