Political process starts in Fata: Governor

PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakthunkhwa Governor, Barrister Masood Kausar said on Thursday that government has initiated political process in Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) in order to bolster peace efforts and bring tribesmen into national mainstream.

Addressing a representative meeting of PML-Q FATA led by its Senior Vice President, Intikhab Chamkani advocate and its President Faqir Muhammad here at Governor House, the Governor said the political process in the area would give further strength to peace efforts and development.

The Governor said the government accorded high priority to establishment of peace in FATA and urged political parties to present their programs under the constitutional ambit before masses keeping in view tribal traditions, customs and respect each others' mandate in order to materialize this cherished objective in a healthy atmosphere.

He said the process of consultation with political parties, tribal elders and other stakeholders was a permanent feature of the government's strategy to include them in decision making process regarding FATA affairs.

Masood Kausar asked the political parties to nominate their two representatives in each agency for close coordination and contacts with political administration for smooth holding of public meetings. Reforms in FCR and extension of Political Parties Order (PPO) to FATA, he said, was the long standing demand of tribal people and the present government had completed the demand to bring them into national mainstream.

The political and religious parties have extended full support to government for FATA reforms. The PPP coalition government had given political, democratic and economic rights to tribal people and urged them to play constructive role for establishment of durable peace and bolster process of development, he added.

The political process in tribal areas would help ameliorate the overall socio-economic condition of tribesmen adding it would dawn a new era of progress and development, he remarked.

To bring FATA at par with developed parts of the country, the Governor said the government was focusing on development projects in diversified sectors with special focus on education, health, communication, adding development works should be seen on ground instead in files.

For the first time, he said, FATA Annual Development Programme (ADP) 2011-12 budgets had been increased to record 15 billion rupees and assured that lack of financial resources would not come in way of development process.

The objective of development process was indeed to remove the sense of deprivation prevailed among the people and facilitating them in all spheres of life.

The Governor said tribal people had long tradition of addressing their disputes through dialogue and this process would be encouraged. He said peace was vital for development and both could be achieved through promotion of education.

The Governor said education infrastructure had badly affected due to terrorism in tribal areas, adding special focus was being made on its reconstruction on modern lines.

Kausar said presence of teachers in government schools and doctors and para medical staff in hospitals in FATA had been ensured to improve literacy rate and mitigate suffering of ailing humanity.

He said that organizations like FATA Secretariat, FATA Development Authority; Political Administration was available for service to tribesmen.

He said political agents had been directed to adopt peoples-friendly behaviour with tribesmen, saying the government keenly desire of the constructive role of political administration in rebuilding process of the area.

The governor said efforts was being made for removal of social ills from the society

A political cell would be established in FATA Secretariat to further streamline coordination among government, political agents, tribesmen and quick addressable of people’s problems.

He said non payment of electricity bills by some elements in FATA would be discouraged to ensure smooth flow of electricity to tribal people.

He said efforts was being made for solar energy generation and evolving a broad based system for speedy development of FATA.

Earlier, PML-Q FATA President urged for establishment of medical college and engineering university in the area, special quota for tribal children in professional colleges and universities, end of load shedding etc.

The governor assured to address their problems on priority

Copyright APP (Associated Press of Pakistan), 2011