Governor vows all possible facilities to tribal districts

BARA: Governor Shah Farman said Thursday the government would provide all possible facilities to the dwellers of the tribal districts. He was speaking at a gathering after inaugurating the “Clean and Green Pakistan” programme.

The governor marked the occasion by planting a sapling under the “Fruit for All” programme at the Levies Centre in Shahkas area in Bara tehsil of the Khyber tribal district.

On the occasion, National Bank of Pakistan, regional head, Saima Rahim, gave a cheque for Rs5 million to the governor for the “Fruit for All” programme in the Khyber tribal district.

Shah Farman said the tribal people had rendered matchless sacrifices for the restoration of peace during militancy in the erstwhile Federally Administered Tribal Areas.

“The militants had destroyed the homes of tribal people, male guest-houses, markets and the state infrastructure in the tribal districts,” he said, adding the government had already given relief packages to them and would offer more.

The governor said the government intended to provide assistance to the people whose shops and markets were damaged or destroyed during the prolonged militancy.

“The government will not change the tribal culture, traditions and the jirga system. We do not want to change their way of living,” the governor assured and added the merger was not meant for changing the tribal culture.

Shah Farman added that the government had two commitments with tribal people — first to retain their customs and traditions and second all funds would be spent with their consent.

“We will introduce a jirga system and will take elders from all sub-section of the tribe,” Shah Farman said, adding the tribal customs and traditions would not be disturbed.

The governor said the government would carry out the development projects in tribal districts after obtaining the views of the tribal people.

“We, including chief minister and other ministers, will visit the tribal districts next week,” he revealed, adding the government wanted to remove the apprehensions of the tribal people.

Later, Khyber Deputy Commissioner Mahmud Aslam Wazir told the reporters that up to 120,000 saplings would be planted in the Khyber district.

He said Forest Department would plant 50,000 saplings, Agriculture Department 50,000 while Khyber administration would plant 20,000 saplings.

Assistant commissioners of Bara, Jamrud and Landikotal, elders and security forces officials were present on the occasion.