May 21, 2006	Sunday	Rabi-us-Sani 22, 1427

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LANDI KOTAL (Khyber Agency, May 20: NWFP Governor Khalilur Rehman has said that the allocation of development funds for the tribal areas is directly linked with the establishment of peace in the area.

Addressing a tribal jirga at the jirga hall here on Saturday, the governor asked the tribal elders to resolve their problems in keeping with their customs and traditions and desist from taking dictations from ‘outsiders’.

Referring to the recent tussle between two religious leaders in Bara, the governor said that innocent lives were lost and a number of houses were either demolished or burnt in a “battle of supremacy” between two non-locals, thus creating a serious law and order situation in the area.

Mr Rehman criticised the tribal Maliks for their non-committal role in the resolution of tribal disputes. He urged the Maliks to revive their traditional and historical role and wipe out the area of extremist elements. The tribal elders should try to fill the leadership vacuum created in the area after the weakening of the existing system, he said.

The governor said that a powerful administration with a cooperative band of Maliks and elders could help restore peace.

He said that out of the total Rs10 bn allocated for the development of Fata in the coming one year, Rs1.54 bn will be spent on education, health, communication and water supply schemes in Khyber Agency.

He announced the establishment of a separate grid station for Jamrud to overcome the loadshedding problem.

Responding to the request of the elders, the governor also announced to induct additional 500 khasadars in the existing contingent of 2,700 khasadar personnel in Khyber Agency.

ZAKHAKHEL ELDERS: The Bazaar-Zakhakhel elders did not attend the jirga and they also boycotted the opening ceremonies held at the Torkham border and Agency Headquarter Hospital. It was learnt that the self-proclaimed leader of Laskhkar-i-Islami Haji Mangal Bagh had asked the area elders to abstain from the jirga.

The political administration however denied any knowledge of such warning from Mangal Bagh but they were clearly at loss to explain the absence of Zakhakhel elders. The Zakhakhel is the largest of Afridi tribes.

JOURNALISTS’ PROTEST: Members of the local press club held a brief protest demonstration at the Agency Headquarter Hospital when the Fata Director Health Dr Zubair prevented them to attend the opening of the cardiac care unit by the governor.

The CCU unit was earlier inaugurated by the NMA Noor ul Haq Qadri one and a half year ago and the Fata health director wanted to hide the fact from the governor.

It was also learnt that some of the necessary equipments needed in the CCU were brought from Ghalanai hospital in Mohmand Agency to cover up for the missing machines in Landi Kotal hospital.

The journalists were later allowed to cover the event after the intervention of the local political administration.

INAUGURATION: The governor inaugurated the Landi Kotal-Torkham by-pass road. He also performed the ground breaking ceremony of the construction of a new gate at the Torkhum border.