ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly (NA) was informed on Thursday that Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi would give a policy statement on reforms in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA).
“Within next 10 days, the prime minister will give a policy statement on the FATA reforms and steps taken for development of the area,” Minister for States and Frontier Regions (SAFRON) Lt Gen (retd) Abdul Qadir Baloch said.
He said that the government was committed to reforms in FATA and “we want to bring the area in national mainstream and at par with other developed districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.”
He said that the FATA Reforms Package, comprising 36 points, was formulated in consultation with all stakeholders and mainstreaming of tribal areas and abolition of FCR (frontier crime regulation) were the salient features of the package.
He said that over Rs110 billion development packages, proposed by a six-member FATA reforms committee, had been approved for seven agencies of the tribal region.
“We must be appreciated for abolishing FCR and announcing Rs110 billion development package,” he added.
In past, he said that no government gave due attention to resolving problems faced by tribesmen.
During the tenure of the present government, the minister said that Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) funds for FATA had been increased to Rs20 billion.
He said that changing the whole system in the FATA would take some time, adding that an advisory council would be established, whose recommendations would be mandatory to follow by the governor.
“All decisions will be taken with the consensus and in consultation with representatives of FATA”, he said.
APPRENTICESHIP BILL, 2017 UNANIMOUSLY PASSED:
The NA unanimously passed a bill to make provisions for promoting, developing and regulating systematic apprenticeship programmes in the establishments for securing certain minimum standards of skill (The Apprenticeship bill, 2017).
Minister of State for Higher Education and Professional Training Baligh-ur-Rehman moved the bill.
According to a statement of objects and reasons, the government encourages development, promotion and regulation of systematic apprenctiship programme in the industry, to secure certain minimum standards of skill and vocational training facilities in various fields.
The remainder of legislative agenda of the NA session was skipped and session prorogued on Thursday. Bills including the Right of Access to Information Bill, 2017, the Auditor-General’s (Functions, Powers and Terms and Conditions of Service) (Amendment) Bill, 2017 and the Corporate Rehabilitation Bill, 2017, were not taken up.
