TDPs’ return federal govt’s top priority, says KP governor

NOWSHERA: Governor Iqbal Zafar Jhagra said on Tuesday said that the dignified return of the temporality displaced persons (TDPs) to their native areas at the earliest was the priority of the federal government.

Talking to the chief of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Sami (JUI-S) Maulana Samiul Haq at his residence in Akora Khattak here, the governor said that all the TDPs would return to native areas by the end of this month. Iqbal Zafar Jhagra said the government wanted to develop the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) to bring the region on a par with the rest of the country.

He said that reforms committee had submitted report to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, which had been prepared after consultation with tribespeople from all walks of life. The governor believed that majority of the tribespeople supported merger of Fata with Khyber Pakhtukhwa province. 

Talking to reporters after the meeting, Samiul Haq said he discussed with the governor the challenges confronting the country and Fata reforms in details. The Maulana said that he urged the governor to ensure rehabilitation and early return of the TDPs to native areas. He said he requested the governor to compensate the tribespeople for the damages. 

Samiul Haq said that he conveyed the reservations of the tribespeople to Iqbal Zafar Jhagra about the Fata reforms. He called for taking the tribespeople into confidence about any decision about the future of Fata.

The Maulana said he also discussed the problems being faced by the Afghan refugees. He said he told the governor that enemies were out to create misunderstanding among the people of the two brotherly countries. 

Earlier, addressing as the chief guest at the Jashn-e-Khushal arranged by Markazi Khushal Adabi Jirga at Khushal Khan Khattak Memorial Library, Akora Khattak, the governor said Khushal Khan Khattak was not only a great poet, writer and scholar but also a great warrior. 

The governor said the great-poet philosopher Allama Muhammad Iqbal had acknowledged the visionary approach and leadership qualities of Khushal Khan Khattak. President of the Markazi Khushal Adab-o-Saqafati Jirga, Muhammad Jan Jehangir, in his welcome address highlighted the problems being faced by the local people. The governor listened to their problems patiently and assured to solve them on priority basis.