ISLAMABAD, April 19: A Levies force will be raised in North and South Waziristan as part of government’s efforts to improve law and order situation in the agencies, Interior Minister Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao said on Wednesday.

Talking to newsmen at the Interior Ministry, he said recruitment for the planned Levies force would start soon.

He said the government had also initiated a number of development projects in the federally-administered tribal areas for socio-economic development and welfare of people.

Mr Sherpao last week visited US at the head of a delegation to the fourth meeting of the Pakistan-US joint working group on terrorism formed in 2002.

He said it was decided in the meeting that the US would assist in capacity-building of Levies and extend assistance towards development activities in the fields of education and health in Fata.

Mr Sherpao said government’s efforts for curbing terrorism and measures taken for development work in Fata and combating the problem of narcotics trafficking were highly appreciated at the Washington meeting.

He said the US would provide further technical assistance for capacity building of law enforcing agencies, their training and structural revamping.

He said the issue of cyber-crime and protection of intellectual property rights were also discussed during the meeting and it was agreed that the US would help in beefing up the capacity of the law enforcing agencies through technical and other means.

The United States would also assist in the up-gradation of aviation wing of the interior ministry for combating terrorism and drug proliferation, the Minister said.

Mr Sherpao said it was also decided in the meeting that US would provide technical assistance for police and judicial reforms, besides help improve performance of prosecution officers.

He said the Washington meeting decided to boost coordination and exchange of information regarding surveillance of the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

The minister said a joint steering committee would be formed to oversee implementation of the decisions taken by the group and to also facilitate future planning.

He said the group decided to meet twice a year instead of the present practice of meeting once in a year.

The next meeting of the group would be held in October in Islamabad.—APP