PESHAWAR: Qaumi Watan Party has urged the government to release the promised funds to tribal districts under National Finance Commission Award to rebuild the damaged infrastructure and launch new development schemes in the neglected areas.

According to a statement issued here on Sunday, QWP provincial chairman Sikandar Hayat Khan Sherpao has said that government should implement Fata reforms in letter and spirit and provide all facilities to the tribal people, who were faced with plethora of problems.

Talking to his party’s office-bearers, he said that the entire infrastructure was destroyed in militancy in the former tribal areas. He added that government should take steps on war footing to rebuild the damaged schools and hospitals to mitigate the sufferings of people.

The QWP leader said that government should honour the promise regarding issuance of funds under National Finance Commission award.

Reacting to the statement of Prime Minister Imran Khan regarding the tribal districts, he said that government did nothing for the development of former Fata that caused despondency among the local people.

He said that government did not honour the pledges made with the people of tribal districts at the time of merger. “It seems that government does not have any strategy or plan for the development of the tribal districts,” he added.

The QWP leader said that despite tall claims, the government did not implement Fata reforms so far which caused serious unrest among the people.

Referring to the collateral damage during militancy in the former tribal areas, he said it was responsibility of government to take steps on war footing to rebuild the damaged buildings of educational institutions and healthcare centres to overcome the problems.

The QWP leader said that the promises regarding the issuance of funds under the National Finance Commission award were yet to be fulfilled.

“The government had committed to release Rs100 billion annually for 10 years for the development of merged districts. The government has failed to fulfil all the pledges,” he said.

Published in Dawn, May 10th, 2021