LAHORE: Federal Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid said on Sunday that the government was working to give a role to the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) in the country’s mainstream politics.

“Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has constituted a committee to give a role to Fata in the mainstream politics,” the minister told a questioner at a reception hosted by the Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE).

Answering another question, he said the process of rehabilitation of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) had started and they would go back to their homes safely soon because their areas were being cleared of landmines.

He said the Zarb-e-Azb military operation in Fata would continue till the areas were cleared of terrorist groups.

About the Karachi situation, Senator Rashid claimed that the masses, industrialists, traders and the civil society acknowledged the fact that crime rate had fallen markedly in the city compared to the situation in 2013.

He said the Indian government must understand the fact that peace was as important for India as for Pakistan, adding that India must learn from the past wars if she desired peace in the region.

Published in Dawn, July 6th, 2015

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