ISLAMABAD: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government will formally request the federal government for a development package of around Rs100 billion for the seven tribal districts to bring the areas at par with other parts of the province.

KP Minister for Finance Taimur Saleem Jhagra told a news conference here that he did not see any problem in getting funds for the development of tribal districts.

Accompanied by Ajmal Khan Wazir, the spokesperson for provincial government, at KP House, he said that he would meet Adviser to Prime Minister on finance Dr Hafeez Shaikh on Friday to work out the details of the funds.

He said that his government would try to manage the amount committed in the commission report on Fata. “We have a complete support from Punjab on the development budget allocations for tribal districts,” the minister said, adding that he was expecting similar gesture from Sindh province.

The minister said that KP government had already committed and allocated funds from its share for the development of the area. He said that KP government could only request Sindh to take part in the development package.

On the issue of decline in transfer of funds to the province, he said that KP also received lesser funds under the Federal Board of Revenue. “Even we have seen a decline in transfer of net hydel profit to the province,” he added.

With regard to provision of funds, the minister said that hardly a week passed when no meeting was conducted with the federal government for reviewing the development schemes of those districts.

He said that both the federal and Punjab governments had already assured him to fulfil their commitments for the uplift of the merged districts. He said that the merger of defunct Fata in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was the greatest event of the history in the world after the merger of East and West Germany.

Mr Jhagra said that KP government introduced independent monitoring system in education in the merged districts with the help of which absenteeism of teachers was eradicated completely and students were facilitated and standard of education was brought at a par with those of other parts of the country.

Speaking on the occasion, Ajmal Khan Wazir said that hospitals were monitored on daily basis. He said that shortage of staff including doctors, nurses and paramedics was noticed and addressed on urgent basis.

He said that keeping in view the sufferings of the people of the merged districts, the Sehat Sahulat Program was extended to the entire population.

He added that loans and financial assistances were provided to the youth under Insaf Rozgar Scheme without any discrimination to eradicate poverty and increase opportunities of employment.

Mr Wazir said that solarisation programme was implemented in tribal districts and almost all mosques were provided with solar energy.

Published in Dawn, April 30th, 2019