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| July 12, 2006 | Wednesday | Jumadi-ul-Sani 15, 1427 |
Bara peace responsibility of elders: Aurakzai
PESHAWAR, July 11: NWFP Governor Lt-Gen (rtd) Ali Muhammad Jan Aurakzai has said that resolution of the Bara issue is a responsibility of elders and Maliks of the agency and they should give a serious thought to the problem which is threatening peace and impeding development process.
He was addressing a representative tribal jirga of Khyber Agency comprising elders, Maliks, Ulemas, Councillors, students and journalists at the Governor’s House on Tuesday. Secretary Fata Muhammad Shahzad Arbab, Secretary to Governor Arbab Muhammad Arif and Political Agent Dr Tashfeen Khan were present in the jirga.
The governor said that the government was committed to bringing lasting peace in Bara through tribal customs and traditions.
“Political work is underway and hopefully we would succeed in ending the chaos with active cooperation of the elders,” he said.
“Let us resolve the issue collectively,” the governor urged the jirga members saying, “I am ready for cooperation.”
He said on the very first day of assuming his office he had declared that peace was his first priority and he was satisfied that there had been visible improvement in the situation.
“In Waziristan we have come close to the final settlement and hopefully the efforts would succeed,” he said, adding that he was worried about closure of development process in some areas due to disturbance.
The government, he said, had enhanced the development budget for the benefit of tribesmen and it would be possible only when there was complete peace and normalcy. He urged the jirga members to join hands with the government in its efforts to restore and maintain peace, remove negative perception about Fata and enlighten the tribal society with education and knowledge. “Let us wage Jehad against illiteracy, ignorance and poverty,” he added.
The governor said when he was the Corps Commander Peshawar he had visited almost all border areas of Khyber Agency; once considered inaccessible. He said during these visits he was extremely perturbed to see the backwardness of the area and had decided to provide basic facilities to the tribesmen, particularly in the education and health sectors. He said tribesmen of Khyber Agency were loyal and patriotic and had a very bright history. He said being the first tribal governor he was realising his responsibility but tribesmen should also show responsibility and cooperate with him.
The governor said that education health, communication and exploitation of mineral resources were his priorities. He said mineral resources were in unimaginable abundance in Fata and pledged to explore and exploit all these resources. He said Rs200 million had been earmarked for mineral development in Fata, saying that the government would make this sector a source of permanent income. However, the governor stressed the need for peaceful resolution of disputes on ownership of mines bearing areas.
Regarding the electricity problem the governor said that he had held a meeting with Pesco and Tesco authorities and hoped the problem would soon come to an end. He said that 7,000 posts in various departments of Fata had been sanctioned and shortage of staff, particularly in health and education institutions, would soon come to end.—Online
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