October 05, 2008	Sunday	Shawwal 05, 1429

PESHAWAR, Oct 4: The federal government has decided to include the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) into Benazir Bhutto Trust to provide assistance to the victims of the ongoing conflict and terrorist activities in the region, sources said.

Initially, the Fata was not included into the Benazir Bhutto Trust and representation was given only to the four provinces. Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani had announced establishment of the trust for the financial assistance of the victims of terrorism.

The sources said that now it had been decided to make the Fata part of the trust and terms of reference had been amended in this regard.

A meeting was held in Islamabad last week in which officials of the Fata Secretariat were also invited.

An official privy to the meeting said that the Fata Secretariat had been given representation in the board of directors and executive committee of the trust.

The official said that families who had lost their close relatives in terrorist acts would be entitled to get financial assistance from the trust.

The sources said that after giving representation to the tribal areas in the Benazir Bhutto Trust the Fata Secretariat would start collecting data about the victims of the terrorist activities there.