Efforts for mainstreaming tribal areas under way: IGFC

WANA: Inspector General of Frontier Corps (IGFC) Major General Abdul Latif on Saturday said that steps were being taken to bring tribal areas into the national mainstream.

Speaking at a jirga of tribal elders at the office of South Waziristan political agent in Tank, he said that peace had been restored due to sacrifices rendered by the tribesmen and security forces.

Political Agent Sohail Khan, Member National Assembly Maulana Jamaluddin Mahsud and others were present. Brigadier Amir Abbas accompanied the IGFC during the visit.

He vowed that any anti-social element would not be allowed to disturb peace of the tribal areas. He added that the tribespeople should not view any search operation by the security forces as an act of victimisation, adding the security forces conducted the search operations to make the tribal areas more secure and prevent anti-social elements from creating law and order.

He assured that tribespeople would not be harassed during any action and tribal elders would be taken into confidence before carrying out any search operations to address the reservations of tribespeople.

He said body search at security checkposts was in favour of the people, adding phone numbers were displayed at security checkposts to report any complaint against the soldiers manning these checkposts.