05 March 2005	Saturday	23 Muharram 1426

PESHAWAR, March 4: The US Agency for International Development (USAID) and the World Bank have expressed support for developing trade and industry in Fata.

According to a press release issued by the Fata Chamber of Commerce and Industry, representatives of USAID and the World Bank assured support on behalf of their organizations to the Fata Chamber in their separate meetings with its President Haji Ghulam Ali at his office here on Friday.

The USAID team, comprising economic growth adviser and a Peshawar-based consultant of the agency, apprised the Fata chamber president about their organization's interest in the economic uplift of tribal areas.

The team members said the United States was keen to promote trade, industries and business activities in Fata and its neighbouring Afghanistan and it would provide all possible help to bring about much-wanted improvement in the two areas.

Similarly, in a separate meeting, a team from the World Bank also expressed interest in the economic well-being of the people of Fata and assured support to the Fata Chamber on behalf of their institute.

TRIBAL LAWYERS: A meeting of the Tribal Lawyers Forum (TLF) was held here on Friday to discuss re-organization and a coordination committee was constituted for the purpose.

According to a press release, Kareem Mehsud was appointed secretary of the committee while its other members are Wali Khan Afridi, Zar Mohammad Afridi, Fazal Kareem Wazir, Taj Mehal Afridi, Sartaj Ahmad, Musarrat Hussain, Mohammad Bashir, Habibur Rehman and Mohammad Zeb Khan.

It was decided that the next meeting of the TLF would be held on March 11 at the High Court Bar room which would be attended by members of the Peshawar Bar Association and lawyers from Mardan, Swat, Kohat, Bannu and D.I. Khan districts. The next meeting would discuss legal reforms in Fata and the political situation prevalent there.