‘Inimical forces’ creating uncertainty in FATA: ISPR

RAWALPINDI: The mainstreaming of Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) is the key to prosperity while ‘inimical forces’ are creating uncertainties in the region, media cell of Pakistan Army said on Friday.

Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) wrote in its official statement, “Economic rehabilitation of tribes takes priority. Mainstreaming of FATA remains key to their empowerment & prosperity.”

ISPR DG Major General Asif Ghafoor announced that the affected NWA traders would meet local civil-military and FATA secretariat representatives on April 22 to discuss their “genuine issues and way forward”.

“Brave tribes of FATA have achieved peace & stability after lot of hardships & sacrifices. Restoration of normal life after kinetic operation is part of ‘clear-hold-build-transfer’ strategy. State including security forces is committed to rehabilitate the affected population,” he tweeted.

He specifically called out the ‘inimical forces’ and said, “It’s time to be aware of inimical forces trying to create uncertainty but shall never succeed.”

“We are through with challenges of ‘clear’ phase after kinetic operations, ‘hold & build’ in progress. It’s our home, by working together we shall gradually bring back complete normalcy,” he added.

On April 11, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa had also stated that mainstreaming FATA and its merger with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) according to wishes of tribal people is ‘imperative’ for ‘peace and prosperity’ in the region.

Addressing the 210th Corps Commanders’ Conference at the General Headquarters (GHQ), the army chief said that “the stability and development efforts in FATA must trickle down dividends of peace to the public, while the control of cleared areas is being handed over to the civil administration.”

The COAS also stressed that the key dividend remains linked to mainstreaming of FATA in line with popular public sentiments.

The statement of army chief came in the wake of a major rally staged by the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) on April 8. One of PTM’s demands is the restoration of routine life in FATA, which has been at the forefront of Pakistan’s fight against terrorism.

“The people of tribal areas should be given the same rights as the people of Lahore and Islamabad,” one of the organisers of the PTM protest had said while demanding the provision of basic human rights to the people of tribal areas.