KHAR, Aug 22: NWFP Governor Ali Muhammad Jan Aurakzai has stressed the need for maintaining law and order for development and prosperity of tribal areas. Speaking at a jirga during a visit to the Bajaur Agency on Tuesday, he asked tribesmen to wage jihad against poverty, illiteracy and unemployment in Fata.

Referring to the war against terror, he said Fata had become the focus of world’s attention and added: “We are under international spotlight. Therefore, we must take every step with wisdom and responsibility.”

He said tribesmen had to remove the misperceptions about Fata and prove that they were peace loving, democratic, progressive and cultured people.

Earlier, the governor inaugurated the newly-constructed press club and a 20-bed ward in the agency headquarters hospital.

He admitted that Fata had remained backward for a long time and held both the government and tribesmen for the situation.

“The development budget for Fata has been increased to Rs6.2 billion,” he said, adding that a project costing Rs120 billion was being planned for the area.