PESHAWAR
The government wants to establish more Civil-Military Liaison Committees in all parts of Federally Administered Tribal Area (FATA) to ensure development activities.
Officials in the FATA Secretariat told Pakistan Today that they had successfully implemented the plan as pilot projects in two FATA agencies, which were giving positive results.
“This is not only a check on the development work but also a support to those tribal people who are fighting the militants in their respective areas,” an official remarked.
A senior official said “We have established Civil-Military Committees in some areas of FATA to promote peace and development activities there. We have initially set up two such committees in parts of Mohamand and Bajaur agencies, where the local people are not only supporting the development work but are also fighting side by side with security forces.”
He said these people are rewarded for their efforts and we are also considering expanding this network of Civilian and Military committees in other tribal agencies as well, in order to promote durable peace. The committees are also reviewing the security situation in such areas. “The tribal peace committees and ‘lashkars’ (armed groups) are being supported through these Civil-Military Committees, and their financial needs are also being met by these committees.
The committees approved financial assistance in terms of arms and ammunitions, which is a very successful policy,” the official said. The said committees are presently working in the militant-free areas of Mohamand and Bajaur agencies in upper FATA. These committees are also monitoring the development projects, and are advising the relevant development agencies on initiating new or financing on-going projects in different sectors, including education, health and agriculture.
The pro-government private tribal armed groups in Salarzai, Bajaur and Lower Mohamand agencies have been formed to fight the militants and avoid heavy human as well as capital losses in the areas where militants were active in the past.
