- President stresses need to focus on generating greater employment opportunities in FATA for socio-economic betterment of tribal people
While chairing a briefing at Aiwan-e-Sadr to review progress on various developmental activities in Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and the implementation status of his earlier directives, President Mamnoon Hussain reiterated the resolve to effort for early rehabilitation of the displaced tribal people to their areas of origin with dignity and honour and for expeditious reconstruction of damaged infrastructure in the region.
Those who were present during the meeting included, among others, FATA Law & Order Secretary Shakeel Qadir Khan, Finance Secretary Dr Waqar Masood, senior officials of Ministry of SAFRON and Overseas Pakistanis Foundation. Secretary to the President Ahmed Farooq and other senior officials of presidency were also present in the meeting.
The meeting reviewed in detail the progress made so far on president’s directives that were made during his meeting with tribal jirga in Peshawar in January 2014. The president was briefed about overall law & order situation and the status of the displaced persons.
The president called for early resolution of all the issues that were impeding dignified and honourable return of the displaced persons. He said that the people of FATA have rendered huge sacrifices for the country especially during fight against militancy and every effort would be made to rehabilitate them. He said that there was a need to focus on generating greater employment opportunities in FATA for the socio-economic betterment of the tribal people.
About the reconstruction of destroyed infrastructure and progress on development schemes, it was informed that the prime minister has approved a special development package amounting to Rs 4,351 million for the rehabilitation of infrastructure in three sectors i.e. Education, Health and Public Health Engineering. In addition, an amount of Rs 18.5 billion has also been allocated under Annual Development Programme for the region.
The president directed to accelerate the pace of the ongoing development projects in FATA to ensure timely completion of those projects. The president expressed commitment to make every possible effort to bring the people of tribal areas into mainstream and to provide them with every opportunity to excel.
The president said that greater attention towards generating economic opportunities in the area would not only improve the living standards but would also remove sense of deprivation among the tribal people.
Discussing the ongoing operation against militants, the president expressed confidence that the success of Operation Zarb-e-Azb would result in bringing peace and stability in the troubled areas as well as in the entire country.
The president was apprised that as a result of militant activities as many as 7,728 people have lost their lives and 12,656 were injured besides an estimated damage of Rs 35, 481 million to the infrastructure in FATA.
It was informed that an amount of Rs 2,195.775 million has been paid as compensation to the affectees of the region.
About the award of scholarship to students of FATA in federal universities, the president was informed that almost 800 scholarships were being awarded by HEC to FATA students. Further enhancement of scholarship in federal universities would be done by Ministry of SAFRON and HEC.
The meeting also discussed the issue of Polio and various measures that were being taken in order to reach out to every child in the tribal areas.
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