PESHAWAR: The army has begun transferring its checkposts in South Waziristan Agency to the Frontier Corps (FC), FC Inspector General (IG) Major General Abid Lateef announced on Friday.
South Waziristan Agency is the native agency of Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement’s (PTM) leader Manzoor Pashteen and was among the worst affected by terrorism.
The area was cleared during the army operation Zarb-e-Azb, and the residents of the area had to move to other parts of the country.
The announcement accomplishes two main demands of the PTM, i.e. the provision of the basic rights for the people of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and highlighting of the issues faced by the Pashtun community in general.
Other demands by the PTM include the termination of the Watan Card — an identity document for FATA residents in addition to the national identity card — and the removal of landmines.
According to Gen Lateef, around 11,000 FC officials have been posted at the checkposts; however, the army would continue to monitor the Pak-Afghan border with radars and latest camera equipment. He said that 78 education and 11 health projects have been completed in the agency, in addition to 174 water provision projects. He also said that 81 parks and 59 markets have been built in the region.
He said that Pakistan had 151 checkposts on the border, adding that 30 kilometres of fencing has been completed.
According to Gen Lateef, the repatriation process of displaced persons is near completion. He claimed that Rs433.6 billion have been distributed among 18,464 families.