One-year time-frame set to establish courts, extend policing to tribal districts

PESHAWAR: The federal government has set one-year time frame to establish regular courts and extend policing to the tribal districts, sources told The News on Friday.

As per the policy for the erstwhile Fata, the provincial government would prepare budget for the tribal districts in the financial year 2019-20. The Ministry of Finance has been tasked to complete the job within five months, the sources said, adding the policy has been issued through an official letter from the office of Prime Minister.

"Prime Minister Imran Khan chaired a meeting of all stakeholders on December 31. Several decisions were taken to facilitate and accelerate the merger process. The implementation timeline was also set," the sources quoted from the letter issued by Azam Khan, Principal Secretary to the PM.

Imran Khan directed the stakeholders to implement the policy within the stipulated time. The ministers and secretaries were directed to start visiting the merged districts and chief minister KP was tasked to ensure it in 15 days. According to the decisions of the meeting all the subsidies, current budget, developmental budget and other grants for Fata shall remain protected till the finalisation of the next National Financial Commission Award.

The letter started with the promulgation of the Governance Law for the interim period and tasked the chief minister, chief secretary and home secretary to complete the job within one month, the source added. Minister for Law and others were tasked to enact Local Government Law in six months and hold LG polls at the same time as that of the province. The KP local governments are to complete their tenure during the current year. "A one-year time frame was set to establish courts in the merged districts to ensure provision of uniform judicial system across the province. However, provision of platforms for dispute resolution and grievances will be done in two months," the sources said.

The KP inspector general of police was tasked to induct deputy superintendents of police inspectors and sub inspectors from the Fata regions for quick job creation and having the local population a sense of ownership, the source stated from the document sent by the federal government to the provincial government.

The source said the KP IGP along with Home Secretary has been tasked to complete the training of Levies in Fata within six months, the sources said. "The federal government has tasked Secretary Safron and Home Secretary KP to fill 2200 vacant positions of Levies in consultation with KP IGP in three months," the sources said.

The government, the sources said, also decided to abolish the post of Additional Chief Secretary Fata in one month and all the matters related to the office be transferred to Home Secretary of the province. Under the policy, the government has ordered directed to extend IMUs in sector of education and health to the merged districts within one month and provide the required staff in three months.

"We have started visiting the tribal districts. I along with CM visited Bajaur, Torkham and Bara while we are planning to visit one tribal district every week," the spokesman for the KP government told The News.