In pictures: Plight of Pakistan's displaced

A portion of a camp in Swabi; the shack in the foreground is called hujra, or the traditional gathering place for men during the idle hours.

The military operation in north-west Pakistan has displaced more two million people. The BBC�s M Ilyas Khan visited camps for displaced people in the region.

Omar Gul (L) and Gul Rahman (two old men with grey beards)

As some internally displaced people (IDPs) have registered themselves more than once, they get more than their share of food aid. But this causes problems for people like Omar Gul (left) and Gul Rahman, too old and weak for the rat race.

Lack of planning on the part of aid agencies has been blamed for aggravating problems. They are accused of distributing wheat grain instead of wheat flour to the IDPs. Most IDPs do not have the resources to get their wheat ground.

Gul Zada from the Upper Dir district and grandson

The promise of aid has also brought "economic" migrants to the camps. One such migrant is Gul Zada, from Upper Dir district, where no significant people displacement has been reported. But life in camp has exposed his grandson to scabies.

Life appears much better for those who have moved into school buildings or to private premises with permanent structures. While these structures too get hot in the afternoon, they are not as bad as tents. The incidence of skin diseases is negligible.

Food distribution at government-run camps can be problematic. The management of Chota Lahore camp in Swabi complains that most IDPs take more servings than there are members in their respective families.

Food distribution is often a haphazard affair. There are no queues, and no documentation of how much food each family is claiming. The strong and the more boisterous ones often end up taking more food than the weak or the children.

Eighty-year-old Lasho rode for two kilometres on his grandson�s back last month, and then traveled in a pick-up to escape fighting. He now laments the loss of dignity. "Life in Swat was tough, but it is tougher to plead for my share of food."

Four-year-old Amanullah is not aware that he has come far from home, thanks to his pet fighting cock and a hen that he persuaded his father to take along when they were fleeing fighting in Buner last month.