PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Sardar Mehtab Ahmad Khan on Monday said the temporary displacement of more than a million people from different parts of Fata was a big responsibility but ensuring their repatriation and rehabilitation was a challenge of bigger magnitude.

“We are in the process of determining both immediate and long-term requirements in this respect (IDPs’ repatriation and rehabilitation) and are confident that the proposals will continue to get preferential treatment at every level,” he told a group of the participants of the 101st National Management Course at the National School of Public Policy (NSPP), Lahore during a meeting at the Governor’s House here, said a handout.

The visitors, including senior government officials, were accompanied by NSPP director general Rai Ijaz Ali Zaigham and senior faculty members.

Fata additional chief secretary Arbab Mohammad Arif and principal secretary to the governor Dr Mohammad Fakhar e Alam were also in attendance.

The governor told visitors that the country’s northwestern parts, especially Fata, had been experiencing precarious situation for more than a decade and as a result, the nature and extent of the difficulties faced by the people was quite complicated.

He referred to the situation in Fata and said it was high time to re-assess future needs of the region and arrange resources to ensure long-term stability.

Sardar Mehtab said measures to ensure good governance, efficient utilisation of resources and making result-oriented performance of public institutions, especially of educational and health sectors, were also underway effectively.

“This is a long-term process and special efforts are underway for it,” he said.

The governor also talked about the establishment of the Fata Reforms Commission headed by former chief secretary Ejaz Ahmad Qureshi, saying the commission will give short, medium and long-term proposals for Fata development.

During the meeting, visitors were briefed about the prevailing law and order situation in Fata and the new development strategy.

Published in Dawn, September 30th, 2014