PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Sardar Mahtab Ahmad Khan has said that prosperity of the country and peace of the whole region is linked with sustainable peace and stability in Federal Administered Tribal Areas.

Chairing a meeting of Senate Standing Committee on Defence at Governor’s House here on Monday, he said that comprehensive initiatives were taken to alleviate poverty, backwardness and reduce the sense of deprivation among tribal people.

The governor said the future of Fata would be decided according to the wishes and aspirations of tribal people.

Besides Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Pervez Khattak and Corps Commander Peshawar Lt Gen Hidayat ur Rehman, the meeting was attended by chairman of the committee Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed, Senator Farhatullah Babar, Senator Ilyas Bilour, Senator Abdul Qayyum, Senator Salahuddin Tirmizi, Senator Attaur Rehman, Senator Hidayatullah Khan, Senator JavedAbbasi, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Secretary Amjad Ali Khan, Fata Additional Chief Secretary Mohammad Aslam Kamboh, IGP Nasir Khan Durrani and other officials concerned.

Says presence of terrorists in tribal areas will not be tolerated

The participants of the meeting vowed to bring the tribal people in the mainstream of the national development by introducing solid and comprehensive reforms package for Fata.

The meeting deliberated on various aspects of current security situation in Fata and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and discussed implementation of the reconstruction and rehabilitation strategy in tribal areas.

Addressing the meeting, the governor urged the world community to play its due role in reconstruction and rehabilitation of the tribal region of Pakistan as tribal people suffered a lot due to extremism and militancy and paid a heavy price for the maintenance of peace and stability in the region.

The committee lauded the close liaison between Fata administration, provincial government and security forces for establishment of peace in tribal areas. The members of the committee resolved that existence of terrorists would not be tolerated in tribal areas.

The governor said that government was well aware of the problems and difficulties of tribal people and every step would be taken to utilise all available resources for their complete rehabilitation. He said that 400,000 displaced tribal people had already returned to their homes since the start of the repatriation process in March. The repatriated tribesmen were provided with relief package in a transparent manner, he added.

The governor said that presence of terrorists would not be allowed at any cost in tribal areas. “We will uproot terrorism from the region once for all,” he said, adding that a special Levies Force was being raised on modern lines for establishment of peace in Fata.

The governor said that keeping in view ground realities, local government system would be introduced in Fata.

He said that government had the firm resolve to eliminate terrorism and extremism.

The participants of the meeting were also briefed on reforms in Fata and steps being taken to ensure early return of the internally displaced persons and their rehabilitation. Progress on development schemes initiated in the Fata was also reviewed.

Published in Dawn, August 25th, 2015

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