PESHAWAR: A group of elders from North Waziristan Agency has accused the director education, Fata, of misappropriating the funds meant for promotion of education in the tribal agency.

Speaking at a news conference at the Peshawar Press Club here on Monday, Malik Gul Naeem, Mualana Gul Yousaf, Malik Mubarik Khan, and Khalid Ahmad Dawar, demanded of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Sardar Mehtab Ahmed Khan to order probe into the complaints against the official, Roz Wali Khan Khattak, and replace him with an honest man.

The elders said that the education official was involved in irregularities but no action was taken against him.

They said that students of educational institutions were facing problems due to destroyed buildings and lack of facilities, but the concerned director was least bothered even to visit the educational institutions.

Malik Gul Naeem alleged that the director education, Fata, was appointed on political basis as he was not eligible for the job. He said that the staff of the directorate of education, Fata, along with 12 officers went on a pen-down strike against the said director for his incompetence.

Malik Naeem said that the tribal people were not given due rights and kept deliberately backward.

“Fata should be considered as part of the country and efforts be made to develop its education, health sectors and improve basic infrastructure.

The tribesman urged the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governor to consult Fata parliamentarians regarding development projects in the tribal region instead of seeking advice from the PML-N provincial general secretary Rahmat Salam Khattak.

Mr Naeem warned that if the demands were not accepted the tribesmen along with students would stage a protest outside the Governor House in Peshawar.

Published in Dawn December 16th , 2014