KP assembly holds threadbare debate on rehabilitation of merged tribal districts

PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assembly with Mushtaq Ahmad Ghani in chair Tuesday held threadbare debate on steps taken so far for rehabilitation of damaged infrastructure of Tribal districts.

The debate on rehabilitation of merged districts was main agenda of assembly’s proceedings.

Kicking of the debate, leader of Opposition, Akram Khan Durrani said that JUI-F had opposed merger of erstwhile FATA with KP and now the government was facing problems to facilitate tribesmen in their areas. He said the government should explain the plan for utilization of Rs100 billion and three percent from NFC to be spent in tribal districts.

He raised a question about the quota system in jobs and admission for students. He said that the people were facing problems in land registration and mutation system. He suggested for voluntary return of illegal weapons from tribesmen and handing over legal weapons to them for their safety.

Parliamentary Leader of Awami National Party (ANP) in the provincial assembly, Sardar Hussain Babak said that after 70 years the erstwhile FATA became part of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa that was a good step but now it was need of the hour to facilitate them.

He said that millions of houses were damaged, businesses lost, infrastructure including schools, hospitals were destroyed during war on terror. He requested government to increase fund for rehabilitation of tribal districts.

Babak said that the tribal people were deprived from modern communication technologies including 3G and 4G and millions of their CNICs were blocked. He said that their provincial seats should be increased to 24 from 16 in tribal.

Inayatullah Khan of Jamaat Islami said that erstwhile FATA was defense of Pakistan and its people played vital role to defend the country against enemies. He informed the House that according to United Nation Development Program (UNDP) 66,989 houses were completely destroyed in erstwhile FATA, while 38754 were partially damaged.

He said that a total of 1195 schools were damaged in which 700 were completely destroyed. Similarly, 52 percent population is poor and do not have basic amenities of life, 33 percent is literacy rate in which seven percent ratio is of women, Inayat continued.

Parliamentary Leader of PML-N, Sardar Aurengzeb Nalota pointed that millions of tribesmen have been deprived from inclusion in census as they were abroad and requested for again holding of census. He also demanded holding of local bodies election in tribal districts.

Shah Muhammad Khan Wazir of PTI, said that he belongs to tribal belt and well aware of their problems so the government should take keen interest for their rehabilitation.

Minister for Information Shaukat Yousafzai, while summing up the debate, said that indeed the tribal people became affected due to war on terror and the government was taking initiatives for the development of erstwhile FATA. He said that the cabinet meeting approved Youth employment schemes and would give free interest loan to them for business.

He said that three percent from NFC Award must be given to tribal districts for their rehabilitation.

Shaukat Yousafzai said the government was endeavoring to start trade with Afghanistan that would strengthen the economy of Pakistan as well as tribal districts.

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Energy Development Organization (Amendment) Bill was also tabled in the house.