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MNA calls for operation against Madaris in Punjab
Sunday, November 08, 2009
By Muhammad Anis
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani on Saturday said the government would launch a massive programme to reconstruct and develop the tribal areas on completion of the military operation there.
“We have started the process of development and reconstruction in the Malakand Division and a gigantic socio-economic development programme will be launched in the tribal areas once the military operation is completed,” the prime minister said while responding to a point made by Zafar Baig Bhatani, MNA from Fata, during a debate on the law and order situation in the country.
He said that the government would take all measures to look after the internally displaced persons (IDPs) coming from tribal areas and would utilize all available resources for their welfare.
He said no stone would be left unturned for the safety and welfare of IDPs besides their rehabilitation after the completion of the military operation in South Waziristan.
Referring to the relief operation in Malakand area, he said the government did not wait for pledges made by the Friends of Democratic Pakistan and made allocations of Rs 50 billion in the budget for the IDPs.
He recalled that the government also allocated Rs 25 billion for capacity building of security forces in Malakand area and Rs6 billion had so far been provided for this purpose.
He said Rs2.5 billion have been provided to the Fata administration for the welfare of displaced persons while and Rs5,000 were being provided to each displaced family.
He said like Malakand, Rs 25,000 would be provided to every IDP family on its return home after the military operation.
He asked the members of parliament to give suggestions for welfare of the displaced persons.
He maintained that majority of people of the tribal areas whether they belong to Mehsud, Wazir or any other tribe, are patriotic and peaceful Pakistanis and they are not terrorists.
He pointed out that the IDPs from tribal areas have to stand in long queues to enter camps because of security measures.
Prime Minister Gilani said the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), which was launched in Malakand, would also be extended to tribal areas.
Zafar Bhatani in his speech during debate on law and order situation in the country, criticized the government
for, what he said, failing to meet sugar, energy and other crises. Speaking on plight of IDPs, he said the displaced persons have to stand in long queues to enter refugee camps.
Sheikh Waqas Akram suggested a clean-up operation in the Madaris of Punjab as a preventive measure against terrorism before the menace gets out of the police control.
He also expressed concern over the activities of US Blackwater, saying now this agency had installed equipment at the Sihala Police Training Centre for radioactive detection.
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ISSN 1563-9479 
