PESHAWAR, Aug 3: Governor Khalilur Rehman has said that the Shawal Valley in the tribal areas is being developed under a special uplift package costing Rs60 million. Speaking to a 25-member jirga comprising elders of Janikhel and Bakkakhel Utmanzai Wazir tribes of the FR Bannu here at the Governor’s House on Tuesday, the governor urged the tribesmen to play their role in preserving the natural forest in the Shawal area, which was ruthlessly destroyed.

The governor emphasized the need for maintaining peace in Fata and urged the tribal elders to discharge their collective responsibilities by guarding their area against anti-state activities.

He particularly pointed towards the problem of foreign terrorists and said that the tribesmen should keep themselves away from any act that was against the interest as well as security, honour and solidarity of the country.

“Maintaining peace is the responsibility of the tribesmen whereas the government is bound to bring development,” the governor said, adding: “We should discharge our responsibilities in the larger interest of the country and the areas.” Members of the jirga, headed by Malik Khalid Wazir, apprised the governor of various problems and development requirements of the FR Bannu and Shawal areas.

They particularly demanded projects of delay action dams, vocational institutes for women and male and female education institutions. The governor said that the government was giving priority to education, health and agriculture in Fata as they were the sectors that directly affected the socio-economic condition of the tribesmen.

The government, he added, had enhanced the female education facilities in Fata during the past five years and more projects would be initiated. He assured the jirga members to consider the allocation of new Khassadari and other tribal benefits for Shawal area. He directed the Fata (Security) secretary to submit a detailed report about some of the administrative as well as law and order problems in the FR Bannu pointed out by the jirga.