'Government allocates Rs 1.5 billion for uplift of North Waziristan'

Governor, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Barrister Masood Kausar has said that government has allocated an amount of Rs 1.5 billion for the development of North Waziristan Agency for the current financial year 2011-12.
Talking to the chiefs of three major tribes of North Waziristan Agency, the governor especially mentioned construction of Bannu Ghulam Khan Road and other projects like small dams, up-gradation of educational and health institutions, boosting agriculture sector, and removing shortage of staff in the education and health institutions.
He said that he wants to build model schools, improve the infrastructure and provide all facilities to the tribesmen in social sectors. He said that the tribal youth is highly capable and talented but needed opportunities and facilities to come to the mainstream and serve the country and the nation. The governor said that the government highly regards the tribesmen's quest for peace and would take them along in every effort for peace and development in North Waziristan Agency as elsewhere in Fata. However, he urged the elders to co-operate with the government to purge the Agency of the mischievous and extremist elements so that peace in the Agency takes firm and permanent roots.
Talking to them, the Governor said that the tribesmen had greatly suffered in recent years due to militancy and extremism. In fact, he added the elements that were the main cause of all these sufferings had no concern with the people and the area. "They are not tribal but outsiders working on alien agenda to destabilise our country and defame the peace loving tribesmen" the Governor said, adding such elements have to be thrown out to ensure lasting peace and progress.
The Governor assured the elders that the government is serious in removing the deprivation prevailed in tribal areas since long and bringing real progress and prosperity there. "Peace is the prerequisite to achieve these goals", he added. He said that the process of development would be geared up in all those areas including North Waziristan Agency where peace had prevailed. He revealed that the tribesmen would be taken into confidence in the development process through their elders and elected representatives. "A mechanism in this respect is being devised to involve the community elders in the identification as well as implementation and monitoring of development process", the Governor said.
Speaking on the occasion, the tribal elders said on the occasion that a typical peace prevailed in the agency and vowed that it will be maintained at any cost. "We will not allow anyone whosoever to disturb the peaceful atmosphere in the agency", they said adding that "we want development and are mindful of the fact that peace is the only way forward in this regard".
They thanked the governor for his keen interest in the development of tribal areas and hoped that the new financial year would open fresh avenues for peace and development in Fata. They assured the governor of every support on behalf of their respective tribes towards the government's initiatives in this regard.