PESHAWAR:A meeting of the Provincial Task Force on merged areas was held here with Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mahmood Khan in the chair on Thursday.
The meeting discussed and reviewed the overall security situation, progress on development projects, administrative measures and matters related to merger in the tribal sub-divisions (Ex-Frontier Regions) including Hassan Khel, Darra Adam Khel, Bhatani, Jandola, Wazir and Darrazanda.
The forum made a threadbare discussion on all the matters and took a number of important decisions aimed at improving security situation, accelerating pace of developmental activities and resolving the issues faced by the people of tribal sub-divisions.
Provincial cabinet members Akbar Ayub, Showkat Yousafzai, Shah Muhammad Wazir and Kamran Bangash, Corp Commander Peshawar Lt. Gen. Nauman Mehmood, Inspector General Police Moazzam Jao Ansari, Commandant Frontier Constabulary Salahuddin Mehsud, Additional Chief Secretary Shahab Ali Shah, Chief of Staff 11 Corp. Brigadier Bilal Sarfaraz, Administrative Secretaries of concerned departments, relevant divisional commissioners, Deputy Commissioners and other Civil and Military officials attended the meeting.
Briefing the forum about the developmental schemes of aforesaid six Tribal Sub-Divisions (TSDs), it was informed that a total of 515 developmental projects have been reflected in the annual developmental program for these sub-divisions out of which 375 developmental projects would be implemented through annual developmental program whereas remaining 140 developmental projects would be executed under accelerated implementation program of the merged areas.
The total estimated cost of these 515 projects was Rs. 59 billion. It was informed that special focus has been given to the key sectors of the areas adding that developmental projects costing to Rs. 2.97 billion have been reflected for Elementary and Secondary Education, Rs. 1.84 billion for Public Health Engineering, Rs. 2.43 billion for Agriculture sector, Rs. 1.11 billion for Irrigation, Rs. 8.80 billion for Road sector and projects amounting to Rs. 2.70 billion have been reflected for Sports and Tourism sectors. The authorities told that over 2000 Khasadars and 1300 Levies personnel of the said Tribal Sub-Divisions (TSDs) have been absorbed into regular police adding that all the sanctioned posts of police for these areas have been filled whereas procurement of vehicles, arms and other equipments was also in progress to strengthen the police in tribal sub-division.
It was decided in the meeting that funds required for strengthening of police in these areas would be provided on priority basis. Similarly, concerned authorities were directed to make the alternate dispute resolution mechanism functional in the areas with the aim to resolve local disputes there and then. Concerned commissioners and deputy commissioners were directed to prepare a way forward for the redressal of disputes related to boundary issue of various tribes through jirga system.
The forum also decided to upgrade the educational and health facilities on need basis and directed the health department to make necessary arrangements run the Basic Health Units of these areas into 24/7 facilities. The forum also directed the quarters concerned to take immediate steps to overcome the shortage of staff in educational and health institutions of these areas on priority basis. While deciding to launch new projects of road infrastructure in the areas, the forum directed the relevant commissioners and deputy commissioners to fix the priorities in this regard.
Speaking on the occasion, the chief minister said that sustainable development of Tribal Sub Divisions and welfare of people of those areas was among the priorities of incumbent government adding that the provincial government would utilize all available resources for the purpose. He also directed the concerned districts administration to wisely utilize the available resources in order to provide maximum relief to people of those areas and resolve their genuine issues on priority. He further directed them to focus on provision of clean drinking water projects and roads connectivity along with health and education sectors.