ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on States and Frontier Regions (Safron) on Thursday saw a fascinating debate about the nature of development work in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata).

On one hand, lawmakers grilled bureaucrats over the status of millions of dollars worth of development programmes which had yielded no “apparent change” in the tribal areas; while those being criticised maintained that due to the inaccessibility of these areas, many lawmakers are not aware of ongoing projects in Fata.

Chaired by Senator Mohammad Saleh Shah, the committee meeting was attended by lawmakers, officials from the Safron ministry, the Fata Directorate and the Frontier Works Organisation (FWO).

Chairman says millions of dollars spent ‘on paper’ not visible ‘on the ground’

The body discussed the status of ongoing development projects, including the Fata Infrastructure Project 2010-14 and the Fata Development Programme 2007-15.

Committee members expressed their concerns over the reports presented by the Fata Directorate on the status of different projects executed in different tribal agencies with financial support of donors such as USAID.

“I belong to South Waziristan Agency and it is very difficult for me to believe the information provided by the ministry regarding development projects as many such projects exist only in the files,” Senator Shah observed.

He said that although several projects and activities existed on paper, they had no corresponding presence on the ground.

“Most of the projects do not exist but in the documents, the authorities mention the same project again and again under separate heads,” he said.

Safron Minister Abdul Qadir Baloch, however, cited mitigating circumstances. “We are unable to visit the areas to examine development work personally. This is why it is difficult to keep a track of what is going on,” he told members of the committee.

People’s Party Senator Sardar Ali Khan suggested that the chairman should summon Fata parliamentarians to discuss the development projects executed by the ministry.

“No one is ready to take ownership of Fata’s schools and hospitals. This is why it is difficult to overcome locals’ problems,” he said.

Syed Imtiaz Hussain, the director general (projects) at the Fata Directorate, told the committee that USAID has provided $380 million for the ‘Fata Infrastructure Project 2010-14’ and $109 million for the ‘Fata Development Programme 2007-15’.

Safron Secretary Sohail Qadeer Saddiqui told the committee that details of the development projects should be provided to Fata senators so they could examine them in detail.

He said that funds were being provided to political agents in Fata, who were responsible for the execution of these development projects.

Fata Directorate Additional Secretary (Planning and Development) Shahzad Bangash said that it was difficult for the ministry to make up for the shortage of staff at educational institutions and hospitals due to security challenges in Fata.

The chairman, however, observed that there should be something on the ground to show for the investment that had been poured into Fata development projects.

“We are not convinced with the details provided by the ministry,” he said.

Senator Ahmed Hassan said that it was difficult for the military authorities to manage the situation without involving the civil administration in Fata.

“No one can move without an NOC from the army in conflict areas like Fata while the army should give access to the civil administration to visit the areas in this regard,” he said.

Later, the chairman directed the ministry officials to provide complete details of all completed and ongoing projects in Fata for further discussion.

Only four members out of a total of 13 were present at the meeting on Thursday.

Published in Dawn, October 31st, 2014