'People of Waziristan deprived of due share in growth & development': Senate body told

A meeting of the special committee formed 'to examine purported grievances amongst some sections of the society and reach out to the genuinely aggrieved persons to create national cohesion' was held at the Parliament House on Friday whereby a representative delegation of Waziristan Qaumi Jirga from North and South Waziristan was invited to present their views before the committee. The committee meeting was presided over by its Convenor Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif.
The delegation comprised Engineer Rehmatullah, Samiullah Dawar, Khalid Ahmed Dawar, Abdul Ghaffar, Abdul Malik, Akbar Ali Khan, and Malik Fakhrul Islam. The Jirga has previously held their interactions with different government organisations. Sharing their views at the committee meeting, the delegation members said that people of Waziristan had played a huge role in creation and sustainability of Pakistan but they haven't received their due share in growth and development and the deteriorating living standards have resulted in creation of sense of deprivation.
They observed that the Jirga did not support any activity that was anti-state and calls for efforts to create a harmonious situation in the area where no individual or group stood against state institutions and state narrative. The delegation among other proposals of bringing life back to normal and bringing basic necessities of life and work opportunities, proposed extending the jurisdiction of police in erstwhile FATA in post-merger situation to deal with the law and order situation.
The committee had a collective opinion that many issues need negotiations and discussions but the genuine needs like the need of schools, hospitals, opportunities of employment have to be taken up as early as possible because there is no second opinion on these issues. Members stressed on the need of giving the areas more opportunities and development than its due share as it has witnessed unprecedented security situation due to war on terror.
The committee assured the visiting delegation that the committee would continue raising the voice until the issues were resolved. Bringing peace, identification of missing persons, improving the mining surroundings, and safe and secure return of IDPs were also identified as key goals. The committee members observed when state took one step to reach out to its aggrieved citizens to provide them their basic due necessities, those citizens would return the gesture by being amenable instead of rebellious.
Committee Convenor Barrister Saif suggested appointing a focal person to make communication easier with Waziristan Qaumi Jirga and requested the delegation to present its proposals in writing to the committee to bring the consultations further.