PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Sardar Mahtab Ahmad Khan on Friday said the Afghan government should use its resources and energy on the repatriation of its citizens from Pakistan instead of tempting the people of North Waziristan Agency to take refuge in its country.

“Instead of offering financial and other incentives to tribesmen fleeing North Waziristan, Afghanistan should concentrate on the repatriation of Afghan refugees living in Pakistan and others parts of the world for decades,” he told a group of journalists here.

According to a handout, the governor said he was happy to see Afghanistan get the capability and financial resources to offer incentives to attract people from other countries to take refuge on its soil.

He, however, said instead of using its resources and capabilities to meddle in the others’ affairs, the Afghan government should use them on repatriation and rehabilitation of the Afghan refugees facing enormous problems in other countries.

Governor says 2m refugees taking a heavy toll on Pakistani economy

“The Afghan government should initiate repatriation of more than two million Afghan refugees from Pakistan. Hosting such a large number people is taking a heavy toll on Pakistani economy, infrastructure and other resources,” he said.

Sardar Mahtab said the people of Pakistan had faced many challenges bravely and were capable of coping with the emergency, which had emerged from the North Waziristan mass displacement.

He said the nation stood by the internally displaced persons and the army fighting militants in North Waziristan.

The governor said the federal and provincial governments took all possible measures to cater to the needs of IDPs.

He appreciated the support of the Punjab government in this respect.

Sardar Mahtab rejected reports about damage to public life and property during the military operation and said most of people had moved out of North Waziristan to safer places before the offensive began.

He said the military operation was smoothly progressing achieving its objectives and that efforts were underway to complete the operation at the earliest for the early rehabilitation of displaced families.

The governor said establishing lasting peace in tribal areas was the major aim focus of the government as it would pave the way for the repatriation of IDPs, beginning of development and establishment of an effective administrative structure in Fata.

About Fata reforms, he said ‘fragmented efforts’ were made in the past to reform the administrative system of the tribal areas but they ended in fiasco for poor homework.

He said the Fata Reforms Commission was set up to recommend a comprehensive reforms plan for Fata aligned with and reflecting tribal norms and aspirations of tribal people.

Published in Dawn, July 26th, 2014