20 November 2004	Saturday	07 Shawwal 1425

PESHAWAR, Nov 19: Finance cells in the seven agencies of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas will start working from Dec 1, says a handout. NWFP Governor Syed Iftikhar Hussain Shah told a 12-member delegation of the Fata reforms committee, led by Mumtaz Bangash, on Friday that the cells would look after financial matters, including revenue collection and transactions, to regularize the income and expenditure system in the tribal areas.

The governor informed the delegation about the formation of agency councils in Fata, their powers and working parameters. He took the delegation into confidence about the government's Fata reforms agenda and dilated upon the steps taken in this regard.

The governor termed the establishment of the cells a major step and said that under the mechanism, collection, maintenance and distribution of funds would be carried out by different entities.

He said the government wanted to empower the councils to make those an effective apparatus for monitoring the performance of the departments, particularly those dealing with the development of the tribal areas.

However, the governor made it clear that the councils would not meddle in the affairs of the departments. He said the councils would be independent and empowered in decision-making and would have open debate on all matters without any interference.

The delegation's members were of the opinion that there must be an elected nazim so that the deficiency being sensed in the devolution of power in Fata could be removed. They said the devolution of power in Fata was the need of the hour and assured the governor of their cooperation in the process.