LANDI KOTAL: Governor Iqbal Zafar Jhagra has said that differences between federal and KP governments over utilisation of promised funds for development of tribal areas was causing delay in the early implementation of the merger plan of Fata with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Addressing the foundation stone laying ceremony of Sir Sahibzada Abdul Qayyum Khan school in Bara on Thursday, he said the KP government wanted to have its own control over the spending and utilisation of promised Rs100 billion development funds whereas the federal government wanted to hand over these funds to a committee headed by a yet-to-be-nominated chief operating officer.

Additional Chief Secretary Sikandar Qayyum, Political Agent Khyber Khalid Mehmud, Senator Momin Khan Afridi, MNA Nasir Khan Afridi and a large number of tribal elders along with activists from political parties and civil society organisations were also present on the occasion.

The governor conceded that Fata was kept underdeveloped and was not provided its due share in development over the decades and expressed his hope that proper utilisation of these funds would end years of deprivation of the people of tribal areas.

Says tribal areas to have representation in PA in 2023 elections

Mr Jhagra informed the tribal gathering that the process of reforms implementation which would ultimately lead to Fata’s merger with KP was underway and it may be completed before its stipulated time of 10 years.

“It’s not necessary that the reforms process would necessarily be completed in coming 10 years and it may take less time as the process was underway on a fast track,” he said and adding that Fata may get representation in KP Assembly in the coming general elections if the necessary legal work was completed.

He however said that Fata will definitely have representation in KP Assembly in the 2023 elections as it was the collective desire of federal and KP governments along with majority of the Fata people.

Referring to the importance of the newly-established educational institution in Bara, the governor said that for ensuring required standard of educational facilities at its campus, it had been affiliated with Lawrence College, a Murree-based renowned institution of the country.

Further, he said, the institution will be run by a board of governors. He said on completion, Sir Sahibzada Abdul Qayyum School and College would offer quality academic as well as co-curricular facilities to the children of the local people at reasonable fee.

The governor appreciated the efforts of the political administration in implementing the project and expressed the confidence that the people of the area would be able to get quality educational facilities at their doorsteps. He also assured his support and cooperation for successful completion of the project as well as its future functioning.

Speaking on the occasion PA Khyber Khalid Mehmud said that Sir Sahibzada Abdul Qayyum School would go a long way in educating students of Khyber Agency with etiquette, quality education and moral sciences.

He invited applications for admissions to the school and said that classes would be started in March in a hostel building acquired from a technical education institution for two years.

Published in Dawn, January 26th, 2018