Fata uplift govt’s top priority: governor

Inaugurates degree college in South Waziristan

LADDHA (South Waziristan): Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Iqbal Zafar Jhagra on Saturday said that provision of quality education and health services to the people of tribal areas was the top priority of the government.

Inaugurating a state-of-the-art building of the Government Degree College in Laddha, he said tribal youth had great potential and they had proved their mettle in different fields at the national and international level.

The Governor said education and health facilities would be made available to the tribal youth so that they could serve the country.

“Peace has been restored due to the sacrifices of tribal people, security forces and law-enforcement agencies,” he added.

Lauding the standard of the construction work of the college, he said the Pakistan Army deserved appreciation for it as he was impressed by the facilities and building structure that was rarely available even in big cities like Peshawar.

The Governor went round different sections of the college, including classrooms, science laboratories, computer room, staff room and other offices and urged the students to benefit from the facilities.

Major General Anwarul Haq, General Officer Commanding (GOC) 45 division, in his briefing said the college building was completed in record time as the work commenced in July 2012 and was completed in May 2016 at a cost of Rs144 million.

He said that two engineer battalions executed the work with financial help from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and with the consultation of the National Engineering Services Pakistan.

He informed that the Pakistan Army executed 143 development schemes sponsored by the UAE in Malakand and Waziristan during the last four years. He said 29 uplift projects were carried out in South Waziristan in education, health and drinking water supply sectors.

Earlier, the Governor formally opened the Makin complex comprising a stadium, children’s park, school and a mosque.

Governor Iqbal Zafar Jhagra accompanied by Major General Khalid Javed, GOC 9th division, Senator Saleh Shah, Commissioner Dera Ismail Khan division and the Political Agent of South Waziristan formally inaugurated the hospital in Maula Khan Serai in Sarwakai tehsil in South Waziristan.

He went around different sections of the newly rehabilitated hospital and appreciated the standard of construction, cleanliness and availability of best treatment facilities.

He was told that the 47-bed hospital had four specialties including medical, surgical, gynae and paediatrics. It has four wards, X-Ray, operation theatre, clinical laboratory, pharmacy store and dental services.

The hospital also has residential accommodation for 20 doctors and as many nurses along with a children’s park.

Two non-governmental organisations, Prime Foundation and Foundation for Rural Development (FRD), are also providing services in the hospital in the shape of medicines and medical staff.

The Governor was told that the two NGOs started providing services in January this year and on an average 150 cases of different nature were being treated in the hospital. He was told that about 402 delivery cases were handled during the last three months.

On the demand of the tribal elders about the shortage of doctors, the Governor directed secretary social services Fata Secretariat to arrange the staff for the hospital. He was told to devise a plan to recruit more doctors to overcome the shortage as recruiting doctors without the Public Service Commission required more time.

The Governor spent a busy day and inaugurated various development schemes in South Waziristan as he arrived on a day-long visit along with a team of journalists.

He also addressed jirgas at Laddha and Maula Khan Serai. Tribal elders offered a traditional turban to the Governor.

On the occasion, the Governor assured the elders that rehabilitation and resettlement of the displaced people, provision of education, health, clean drinking water and communication facilities were the top priorities of the government.