PESHAWAR, May 24: NWFP Governor Lt-Gen (retd) Ali Muhammad Jan Orakzai said on Wednesday he would prefer using peaceful means instead of force to restore law and order in the tribal region.

In his first remarks after taking oath of office, he said: “Eventually all problems are resolved through talks.”

Peshawar High Court Chief Justice Tariq Pervez Khan administered the oath to Mr Orakzai after Chief Secretary Ejaz Ahmad Qureshi read out the commission of appointment.

The governor said it would be his endeavour to tackle issues through peaceful means. “I am confident that we will succeed in resolving all issues through mutual consultations and talks.”

He said law and order was the most important issue before him and he would strive to restore normalcy in the tribal region.

Mr Orakzai said that being a native of the tribal region and during his stint as corps commander of Peshawar for two and a half years he had observed that tribesmen were peace-loving people.

“But some of them who are misguided would be put on the right path,” he remarked.

The ceremony was attended by NWFP Chief Minister Muhammad Akram Durrani and federal ministers Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao, Amir Muqam, G.G. Jamal and Salim Saifullah Khan.