PM announces uplift schemes in tribal district

Published March 16, 2019
BAJAUR: Prime Minister Imran Khan addresses a public gathering in Khar on Friday.—PPI
BAJAUR: Prime Minister Imran Khan addresses a public gathering in Khar on Friday.—PPI

KHAR: Prime Minister Imran Khan has said he is aware of the hurdles and problems being faced by the people of tribal districts and the government is making all-out efforts to resolve these and ensure provision of better facilities to them.

Addressing a public meeting at Bajaur Sports Complex here on Friday, he said the people of tribal districts were peaceful, civilised and loyal to the country and they had rendered great sacrifices for the motherland. He said the people of tribal districts had witnessed huge destruction during the war against terrorism as business centres and other infrastructures were badly damaged, but they never lost hope and courageously faced the hurdles for a better future of their coming generation.

The prime minister alleged that the previous governments had ignored tribal districts and done nothing for the welfare of tribal people. He said the merger of tribal areas with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was a historical move which would usher in a new era of development and prosperity in the region.

He said the federal government was making all-out efforts to immediately transfer three per cent of the shares of the provinces in the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award to the tribal districts. He said the governments of KP and Punjab, where the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf was in power, had already agreed to give their 3pc shares in the NFC Award to the tribal districts, but the Sindh and Balochistan governments were not willing to do so. He asked the Sindh and Balochistan governments to fulfil their commitments in this regard.

The prime minister said the process of merger of tribal areas with KP was not an easy task and it would take more time to implement it completely. He said the federal and KP governments were committed to bringing about visible changes in the lives of the people of tribal districts by launching development schemes in the region.

However, he said the lack of resources and the current financial crisis were the main hurdles in the way of launching development schemes in the region. He claimed that his government had overcome the finical crisis and the country’s economy was improving day by day.

He said the future of tribal districts was very bright and the day was very near when they would be the most developed and prosperous areas in the entire country.

The prime minister announced several development schemes and projects for Bajaur tribal district, including establishment of a university, small industrial zone, Barng tunnel, interest-free loan scheme, 132Kv grid station and installation of solar system at 300 mosques, as well as launching of Insaf Health Cards. He also announced restoration of mobile internet service, reopening of the Pak-Afghan route for business activities in the region and merger of Levies and Khasadar force into the police department.

PM Khan termed corruption an evil in the country and said his government would never compromise on its anti-corruption stance. He alleged that the previous governments Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and Pakistan Peoples Party were the most corrupt ones in the country’s history and they had plunged the country into serious financial crises.

About relations with neighbouring countries, the prime minister said Pakistan was a peace-loving country and wanted to live in peace with all its neighbouring countries. Instead of war and tensions with the neighbouring countries, he said, Pakistan was interested in investment, prosperity and creating jobs of its people, but “our desire for peace should not be misunderstood”.

Mr Khan said Pakistan had repeatedly asked India for talks to resolve the Kashmir dispute, but a political party in India was promoting hatred due to elections there. He lauded the role of the Pakistan Air Force in defending the motherland and asked the people to remain vigilant about the designs of the enemy before the general elections in Indian.

KP Governor Shah Farman, Chief Minister Mahmood Khan and a number of federal and provincial ministers accompanied the prime minister during his visit to Bajaur. Strict security arrangements were in place and hundreds of personnel of Levies, FC and army were deployed around the venue of PM Khan’s public meeting.

Address to tribesmen’s jirga

Addressing a jirga of tribesmen at the district headquarters of Mohmand, Prime Minister Khan assured them that tribal custom and norms would not be changed and his government would create job opportunities for people in the areas merged with KP.

“Mohmand dam will be constructed soon which will bring about a real change in the lives of area people,” he said, adding that Sehat Card would be provided to the poor people who would be able get medical treatment of up to Rs700,000.

PM Khan said the federal government was trying to promote tourism in the newly merged tribal districts and for this purposes many tourism sites had already been selected.

The prime minister was also briefed on the administrative reforms and security situation in the newly merged areas.

Local journalists were not invited to the prime minister’s function. They were also not allowed to enter their own press club in the district headquarters of Ghalanai. The journalists of Mohmand Press Club held a protest against the government decision and blocked the main Peshawar-Bajaur road for some time.

Published in Dawn, March 16th, 2019

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