PESHAWAR, May 29: The situation in North and South Waziristan can be normalised through mutual consultations, says NWFP Governor Ali Muhammad Jan Orakzai. This was stated in a handout issued here on Monday.

It said that he was talking to reporters after addressing a jirga of the Kurram Agency here on Monday.

The governor said that work on the formation of a grand tribal jirga was under way and would be announced soon.

He said that a development authority was being set up with its headquarters in the Governor’s Secretariat in Peshawar to ensure timely and judicious utilisation of development funds.

He said that an effective monitoring system was also being set up to ensure proper utilisation of funds in tribal areas.

Earlier, speaking at the jirga Mr Orakzai said that peace and development in the Federally-Administered Tribal Area (Fata) was one of his top priorities and urged that tribesmen to realise their responsibilities to achieve these objectives, the handout said. He said that the prevalent situation in Fata had proved that peace was the foremost requirement and appreciated the tribesmen of the Kurram Agency for maintaining peace in the agency and hoped that the trend would continue.

CONFRENCE: The World Council of Religions will hold a conference in July to promote religious harmony.