GHALANAI: Political leaders and social activists have termed the allocations for Federally Administered Tribal Areas announced in the federal budget as insufficient.

Finance Minister Ishaq Dar in his budget speech had stated that Rs26.9 billion had been allocated for the development of Fata.

Talking to Dawn on Sunday, former president of Fata Political Alliance and president of ANP, Mohmand Agency chapter, Nisar Mohmand said the Fata allocations were extremely insufficient keeping in view the vast population and the level of backwardness in the region. “Thousands of tribesmen were displaced from their areas and their houses and other properties were damaged, but they were not compensated,” deplored Nisar Mohmand.

He said the Fata Political Alliance had suggested Rs500 billion special funds for the IDPs and infrastructure rehabilitation, but the proposal was turned down. He said the alliance had also suggested increase in allocations for payment of compensation to the owners of damaged and partially damaged houses, which was also not heeded.

He pointed out that schools, hospitals, roads and others basic infrastructure were battered during the militancy, but no special funds were approved in the budget for their rehabilitation.

The ANP leader demanded 100pc increase in allocations for the education sector in the tribal areas. PPP Mohmand Agency president Dr Farooq Afzal said the funds allocated for Fata in the 2017-18 federal budget were insufficient, and that there was no mention of how the rehabilitation of the damaged socio-economic infrastructure would be carried out.

Published in Dawn, June 12th, 2017