PESHAWAR, April 26: NWFP Governor Khalilur Rehman has said that situation in the Waziristan tribal region could improve and peace restored by following the traditional political system.

Addressing a grand representative tribal jirga at the Governor’s House here on Wednesday, the governor supported proposal put forward by a tribal Malik from Waziristan to allow the tribal system to resolve the law and order problems in North and South Waziristan through negotiations and jirga consultations.

The governor also underlined the need for strengthening the tribal system. He said that tribal elders and Maliks had a prominent and responsible role which if strengthened would not only have a salutary effect on the situation but would also fill the gap between the government, the administration and the tribal people.

The governor highlighted various achievements in the administrative and developmental spheres in FATA saying that an unprecedented development process had been accelerated throughout the region because of the enhancement made in the annual budget outlay, which had been increased to Rs5 billion per annum as compared to Rs1 billion in the past.

He said that the mineral resources of FATA were also being exploited to the maximum extent and in Kurram Agency an Italian tiles factory was being established that would provide jobs to at least 1,000 women workers. He claimed that FATA was expected to get an income of 15 million Euros from the export of talcum.

He said that besides poverty alleviation and employment opportunities, efforts had been made to create awareness among the tribal people against the menace of terrorism and extremism.

He said that despite the uncertain law and order situation, poppy cultivation in certain inaccessible pockets in FATA had been brought down by 50 per cent.