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PESHAWAR, Oct 21: NWFP Governor Syed Iftikhar Hussain Shah has said that the government would not allow foreigners to use Pakistan’s soil for their vested interests.
“We will continue operations not only against such elements but also against those who give them shelter in the tribal areas,” he said while speaking at the passing out ceremony of FC training centre at Mir Ali in the North Waziristan Agency on Monday.
The governor said if any tribe did not honour its commitment that it would not give shelter to foreign elements, it would have to be punished under the law of collective responsibility.
The governor assured that while conducting operations against foreigners the innocent people would be fully protected.
The ceremony was also attended by IGFC Maj-Gen Mohammad Hamid Khan, Secretary Fata Security Brig (retd) Mahmood Shah, senators Malik Ajmal Khan and Malik Mateen Shah and MNA Maulana Nekzaman.
Referring to the situation on the western borders, the governor said the FC was entrusted with three main responsibilities: border security, anti-smuggling actions and maintaining law and order in their respective tribal agencies.
He stressed that the law enforcement agencies would have to improve their performance regarding anti-smuggling operations.
The governor lauded the professional competence and standard of training at the centre.
He described the establishment of a separate centralized training centre for the FC recruits as a good step.
NAPP: The National Awami Party Pakistan (NAPP) has asked Arabs and other foreign fighters to leave Pakistan’s tribal region as their presence heightened tension in the border areas.
Speaking at a press conference at the Peshawar Press Club on Tuesday, the newly-elected central president of the NAPP, Arbab Ayub Jan, said that the deployment of army troops and the ongoing operation against Arab fugitives had created mistrust among the local population. He urged the Arabs to leave the area immediately.
Expressing concern over the army operation in South Waziristan Agency, the NAPP chief asked the government to take the tribesmen in confidence before launching any operation in the region.
He said that the Federally Administered Tribal Areas and the NWFP received serious setback due to the Afghan conflict. He argued that poverty and unemployment caused social unrest and chaos in the society.
He urged the federal government to seek financial assistance from the world community, particularly US government, for the economic rehabilitation of NWFP and Fata.
Regarding the Legal Framework Order controversy between the government and the opposition parties, Mr Jan said that his party believed in the supremacy of the parliament.
He said that all constitutional amendments including LFO should be discussed in the parliament to strengthen democratic institutions.
Elaborating Kalabagh dam issue, he said that the NAPP had adopted a very pragmatic approach towards the issue and would not oppose the construction of the reservoir only for vested interests.
He proposed the construction of a barrage on river Kabul to irrigate vast agricultural lands in Dera Ismail Khan and Karak districts.
After the barrage’s construction, the government could build the proposed dam if the project was technically feasible, he said, adding that the government should also remove apprehensions of Sindh in this regard.
