PESHAWAR: The government has started survey of damaged houses in three agencies of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas and the first phase has been completed.

Addressing a jirga of Mehsud tribe at Sarowkai, South Waziristan Agency, on Saturday, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Iqbal Zafar Jhagra said that survey of 5,576 damaged houses had been completed in the first phase carried out in the South Waziristan, North Waziristan and Khyber agencies.

He said that Rs1.9 billion compensation would be paid to owners of the damaged houses in these three tribal agencies. He distributed cheques worth Rs37.5 million among 100 affected families in South Waziristan. Their houses were damaged in military operations, said an official statement.

Says first phase of survey of damaged houses completed

Compensation has been given to the owners at the rate of Rs400,000 for a fully damaged house and Rs160,000 for a partially damaged house.

Mr Jhagra said that tribal region was now entering into the new phase of peace and development. He said that the time had come to reciprocate the great sacrifices of tribal people. He said that steps were being taken for complete return and rehabilitation of the displaced families and wellbeing of the tribal people.

He said that the second phase of survey of damaged houses was under process in the Tiarza, Sarowkai, Sararogha, Makeen and Ladha tehsils of South Waziristan Agency.

He asked the relevant officials to expedite the compensation process and said measures were being taken to ensure all assistance to the affected families. He said that the government was committed to distributing the compensation amount to all the affected families without delay. He said that successful execution of the military operation by the Pakistan Army had restored peace not only in the tribal region, but also in the entire country.

He urged the elders to come forward and play their due role for sustainable peace in Fata. He said that dignified rehabilitation of displaced persons and ensuring better education and health facilities to them was the top priority of the government. He said that all the displaced persons from Fata would be sent back to their native homes till the end of this year.

Published in Dawn, April 10th, 2016