The combined allocation by federal and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) governments to the erstwhile Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) in the current year is Rs 314 billion. The federal government has allocated Rs 152 billion (the entire amount earmarked for development projects) while the KP government has allocated Rs 162 billion (Rs 83 billion for development projects and Rs 79 billion for non-development expenses) for the seven former ex-FATA districts during the ongoing fiscal year including Bajaur, Mohmand, Khyber, Kurram, Orakzai, North Waziristan and South Waziristan.
A KP government official while talking to Business Recorder on condition of anonymity, acknowledged funds scarcity in the backdrop of Pakistan's weak economic conditions but added that federal and KP governments would ensure that the newly merged seven districts of KP get the pledged funds for the year.
"The provincial government and the centre are working on strengthening the tax collecting machinery. We expect an increase in tax collection in KP under different heads. If we achieve this target, funding for the new districts from the erstwhile FATA would not be a problem. Even if the KP government struggles with funds, the federal government can always step in to meet the funding requirements of the new districts," the source said.
Speaking to Business Recorder, senior Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader KP chapter Zar Gul Khan, regarded as one of the close confidantes of Prime Minister Imran Khan in KP, said the provincial government has more than tripled the allocation for the seven newly merged districts in KP, in comparison to the previous fiscal year when Rs 55 billion was earmarked by the FATA Secretariat for FATA's merger with KP.
"Both the centre and the KP province are fully aware of their responsibilities regarding the newly merged districts. We will leave no stone unturned to ensure speedy development in ex-tribal districts to bring them at par with other districts of KP," he said.
Zar Gul Khan termed the conduct of elections on 16 seats of KP Assembly from ex-FATA on July 20 as a milestone. "In my opinion, after these elections, the process of FATA's merger in KP has been completed. The development in the seven new districts has started. Under the visionary leadership of PM Imran Khan the erstwhile FATA would see the same kind of development as witnessed in KP, and is reflected in PTIs overwhelming majority in the KP assembly in 2018 elections for a second term, the first time in KPs history."
Among the steps taken in the seven new districts in KP is the abolition of Frontier Crimes Regulation (FCR), replacement of political and assistant political agents with commissioners and deputy commissioners, extension of the jurisdiction of Supreme Court and High Courts in the new districts, replacement of Levies and Khasadar Force with Police, streamlining the taxation system as well as a host of other initiatives, Zar Gul said.
"These measures would drastically reduce cross-border smuggling from Afghanistan to Pakistan. Smuggling amounted to billions of rupees annually at a heavy cost to Pakistan's economy. The former tribal agencies were regarded as a hub of smuggling, drugs, kidnapping for ransom, hired assassins and other heinous crimes. And political agents were instrumental in facilitating the criminal networks and patronizing smuggling as well as drug trafficking. Now, with increased oversight and regulations, smuggling and other crimes would be curbed," Zar Gul said.
He said the federal and provincial governments are actively working to assert the writ of Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) in the seven new districts to increase tax collection and grant Pakistan Customs all the necessary powers to deal with this issue. Some tribal elders, however, are apprehensive that militancy and religious extremism may resurface in the former tribal regions if effective security measures are not taken.
Speaking to Business Recorder, influential tribal chieftain from North Waziristan Malik Dilawar Khan Wazir, the former head of the now dysfunctional North Waziristan peace militia which fought with Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) stated that the Pakistan Army launched a number of successful military operations in ex-FATA including operation Zarb-e-Azab, Khyber One, Khyber two, and other military offensives; adding that "The tribal people have bravely stood shoulder to shoulder with our security forces and have fought and defeated TTP and other miscreants.
It is by virtue of our valiant military and public support for the military operations that organisations like TTP and Lashkar-e-Islam (LI) have been wiped out from ex-FATA. These successes need to be consolidated and steps need to be taken to make sure that militancy does not rear its ugly head again."
For longstanding peace in former FATA, an army cantonment should be set up in each of the seven newly merged districts, Dilawar Khan said. Besides, he said, the ongoing border-fencing would help eradicate smuggling and infiltration of cross-border terrorism.
In a landmark move, the 25th Amendment that allowed FATA's merger with KP was passed by Pakistan's parliament and subsequently by the KP Assembly in May 2018. The amendment allowed reduction of erstwhile FATA seats in National Assembly from 12 to six seats (to be applicable from next general elections) and creation of 16 seats of erstwhile FATA in KP Assembly (within one year of general elections).
Copyright Business Recorder, 2019
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