PESHAWAR: Speakers at a conference said that reforms, provision of basic infrastructure, ensuring rights and security in Federally Administered Tribal Areas could help in socio-economic uplift of the area and its people.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Home secretary Shakeel Qadir, who was chief guest on the second day of the conference, said that decision about future of Fata should be taken after consultation with the stakeholders, including provincial government.

The theme of the second day of the conference was “Economic currents and opportunities for economic development in Fata”. The conference was organised by Cell for Fata Studies, a think tank of University of Peshawar, in collaboration with the Peshawar Uplift Programme.

Mr Qadir, through his presentation, informed the participants of the conference about the institutional support required for exploiting economic opportunities in Fata.

Dr Shanhnaz Akhtar from Institute of Development Studies, Agricultural University, Peshawar, shared her empirical study in North Waziristan Agency to explain how food sufficiency and food security was major challenge for people in the area. She said that irrigation, robust extension services to guide farmers, markets, fertilisers and availability of seed variety could increase yield.

Dr Sajid Ali, a professor at Agha Khan University, Karachi, talked on how investment in quality education at primary level could contribute to socio-economic development of Fata.

Sahista Naz, a lecturer at University of Agriculture, shared the findings of her study on effects of women empowerment through livestock management. She said that livestock programme could be used for economic and social empowerment of women.

Prof Hussain Shaheed Soherwordi, sharing findings of a research paper on impediments to economic development of Fata, said that security was one of the major impediments to development. He said that initial focus to create economic opportunities should be on the areas where military had already destroyed safe havens of terrorists.

Retired Lt-Gen Mumtaz Gul, who was a moderator, shared his thoughts on Fata and expressed disappointment that no implementation of previous research and talks had been applied. He said that Fata remained backward because nobody was interested in its development.

A study on the economic justification of Jabba Dam in Khyber Agency by Prof Zalakat Khan and Asfandyar was presented at the seminar. The study showed that construction of Jabba Dam was the cheapest option with a life expectancy of 50 years. Elders in the area were opposed to the project as it would cause the displacement of 10,000 people from their ancestral abode.

Tribal journalist Ibrahim Shinwari criticised Frontier Crimes Regulation and termed its two clauses (No.21 and No.22) as the “most dangerous” and a huge impediment to the economic development of Fata.

He said that some people wanted to invest in Fata but they did not do so because of lack of guarantee of security and incentive from the government.

Kristof W. Duwaerts, resident representative from the Hans Seidel Foundation in Islamabad, said that the people, who shared their research on Fata at the seminar, should act on what they had learned.

Published in Dawn, January 19th, 2017