IED education programme for Pakistan

The Sustainable Peace and Development Organisation (SPADO) is planning to start an education programme to teach people about improvised explosive devices (IEDs).

Raza Shah Khan, director of the organisation which is the Pakistani arm of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL), unveiled the plans to help inform civilians of the risks of IEDs.

SPADO hopes to launch the programme in displacement camps so vcivilains can learn about the threats and take the information back with them when they return home.

Materials will be distributed and SPADO hopes to get help from the local media to spread the work about the dangers of IEDs.

Mr Shah Khan said the "humanitarian situation in north-west Pakistan is already extremely tense" and people are struggling to protect themselves.

He added: "We are appalled that recently laid landmines come as an additional threat in the region. Not only does landmine use pose an immediate and direct menace to civilians, but it will also have long-term consequences on these populations."

Viaspace recently announced it was planning to field-demonstrate its new detection and analysis system for IEDs towards the end of this month.

It is designed to be mounted on unmanned vehicles and will detect chemical agents, industrial gasses and IEDs.