PESHAWAR: Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan on Saturday said the federal government had spent Rs80 billion to strengthen and build the capacity of the Frontier Corps during the last three and a half years.

He was addressing the passing-out parade here at the Scouts Training Academy, Warsak, here.

The event was attended by FC inspector general (north wing) Major General Shaheen Mazhar Mehmood and FC inspector general (south wing) Major General Khalid Javed, Scouts Training Academy Commandant Colonel Rafiq Ahmad and senior officers of the paramilitary force.

Interior minister promises more funds to strengthen civil armed forces

As the government recently divided the FC Khyber Pakhtunkhwa into north and south wings to protect borders, the minister said 29 new wings of the force would be commissioned in the next three months.

He said 14,000 FC recruits underwent training during the last six months.

Mr Chaudhry Nisar said despite having limited resources, the government would fulfil the needs of civil armed forces.

“We’ve spent Rs80 billion for the strengthening of civil armed forces and will allocate more for them in future,” he said.

Appreciating the role of paramilitary forces against terrorism, the minister said on one hand, the FC fought terrorism and on the other, it had to ensure the security of the western border.

He said creation of new FC wings was part of the National Action Plan on security.

“Despite limited resources, the government will fulfil requirements of the law-enforcement agencies to eradicate the menace of terrorism from the society,” he said, adding that fencing on the western border was also under way.

With naming names, the minister said ‘foreign enemies’ financed militant groups in Pakistan.

He said the government had begun the fencing of the country’s border with Afghanistan in Mohmand and Bajaur tribal agencies to block the arrival of militants from across the border.

Also in the day, the interior minister called on KP Governor Iqbal Zafar Jhagra here and discussed various matters of bilateral interest, especially regarding law and order situation and restoration of blocked national identity cards, said an official statement issued here.

Adviser to the prime minister Ameer Muqam, who also is the provincial President of the PML-N, parliamentary leader of Fata members in the National Assembly Haji Shahji Gul Afridi, PML-N parliamentary leader in the provincial assembly Sardar Aurangzeb Nalotha, former chief minister Pir Sabir Shah and other relevant people also attended the meeting.

The minister informed the governor that from now onwards, the computerised national identity cards would not be blocked and instead, notices would be issued to the people concerned for explanation.

“179,000 CNICs will be unblocked for 60 days, while 35,085 have been kept blocked, whereas 1,74,184 NICs have been verified,” he said.

The minister added that those producing NICs issued before 1978 or providing proof of landed properties having ownership of that time or any other documentary proof of identity or some family members, who were government servant before 1990, would be issued CNICs.

Published in Dawn, May 21st, 2017