Efforts in full swing for community uplift in Bara

BARA: As the return process of the temporarily displaced persons (TDPs) from Bara tehsil in Khyber Agency has been completed, the government is using all means to facilitate the tribespeople and put the militancy-affected areas back on track.

Besides the Fata Secretariat-led government departments, the government with donor and civil society assistance is using innovative ways to facilitate the tribespeople, create employment and build communities and small infrastructure in the area.

"The destruction is enormous. The decade-long militancy has destroyed the infrastructure, schools and hospitals in Khyber Agency," said an official. He added that public-private partnership was crucial to meet the challenges.

The Fata Secretariat officials have facilitated non-governmental organisations to supplement the government's efforts to revive the destroyed rural life in various areas in Bara tehsil of Khyber Agency.

The official said reintegration and rehabilitation of IDPs were being carried out under a project funded by the German government. He said the World Food Program was undertaking a project for livelihood recovery through cash for work. The official said that WASH emergency project financed by UNICEF and education support project by funded the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) were also being executed. He added that the Sarhad Rural Support Programme (SRSP) was mobilising the local communities and playing a pivotal role to implement the projects.

"The tribal people faced a host of problems after returning to their native areas. We need support from the federal government and the NGOs to provide relief to them," said a social worker Amir Nawab Afridi.

He said some NGOs had started assisting the affected people in Bara. Shafiq Afridi, a local, said the SRSP had trained the community activists and completed development projects. He said the SRSP repaired roads and water channels in Akakhel, Malikdinkhel, Sipah, Bar Qambarkhel and Shalobar areas.

"At least 7000 tribal youth are working in Bar Qambarkhel, Malikdinkhel, Sipah, Akakhel and Kamarkhel to rebuild roads and water channels," said another resident Mohib Afridi. He added the tribespeople had no resources to earn livelihood for their families as all business, infrastructure and irrigation system were destroyed. He said the development projects provided jobs to employed youth to earn livelihood.

The tribesmen lauded the government and the NGOs for reconstructing and repairing the unpaved roads, schools and health centres. The efforts of Pakistan army had brought peace to the area that had provided ideal opportunity to undertake these activities. Abdul Wahab said that not only were they reaping the benefits of peace but the economic activities now seen in Peshawar were also the result of the new environment on its outskirts.

A daily-wager Naveed Afridi, belonging to Bar Qambarkhel tribe, said roads were being built in Bar Qambarkhel, Malikdinkhel and Shalobar areas. He said hundreds of labourers were busy de-silting watercourses in Akakhel, Bar Qambarkhel and Malikdinkhel under a project being executed by the SRSP.

Naveed Afridi added the project provided jobs to several people. "All the displaced people belonging to Bara have returned their homes and need assistance to rebuild their lives and livelihood. There was need for small enterprise activities in the area," he said and asked other civil society institutions to initiate other projects in the area. "We are witnessing lot of combined initiatives to bring relief and development to the area," he added.