The Standing Committee on States and Frontier Regions (SAFRON) met here on Tuesday under the chairmanship of Muhammad Jamal-ud-Din and discussed the recommendations of sub-committee, audit report on Fata development projects and compliance report on the recommendations of the standing committee.
The committee discussed the report of the sub-committee constituted under the convenership of Sahibzada Tariq Ullah. The committee also discussed the audit reports regarding completed development projects/schemes in Fata. Discussions were also held on the compliance report regarding recommendations of the standing committee in its meeting held on July 10, 2014.
The report of the SAFRON sub-committee to examine the existing mechanism regarding cess collection from different sources and expenditure of the office of the political agent, Khyber Agency and reforms in the existing system for welfare of the people also came under consideration.
The convenor of the sub-committee briefed that three meetings of the sub-committee have been held so far on March 7, 2014 in Ministry of SAFRON in which it was considered, as how to proceed further in the matter and decided to convene next meeting at Fata Secretariat, Peshawar to examine the record regarding cess collection from different sources as well as expenditure of political agent, Khyber. The sub-committee recommended in its meetings held on March 12-13, 2014 that the Fata parliamentarians must be consulted before finalising the reforms by the Governor, KP. The sub-committee further recommended that more expenditure should be made to make the existing system transparent and accountable.
The sub-committee also recommended that Fata parliamentarians should be consulted before finalising the reforms in Fata and asked the government to establish a terminal at Torkham, increase the duty timing of custom staff till 5 pm to provide facility of foreign exchange at National Bank of Pakistan Torkham and remove unnecessary check posts and command system be ensured.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2014

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