ANP leader asks govt to launch schemes in tribal districts

BARA: Awami National Party (ANP) Member of Provincial Assembly (MPA) Sardar Hussain Babak has said the government should launch development schemes in the tribal districts. He was speaking at a press conference in Bara Press Club after ANP intra-party elections in Khyber tribal district on Sunday.

ANP provincial vice-president Imran Afridi, joint secretary Khurshid Khattak, ANP Khyber president Shah Hussain Shinwari, general secretary Sadeeq Chiragh Afridi and other office-bearers were also present. “The erstwhile Fata was merged into Khyber Pakhtunkhwa but the facilities have not been provided to the areas during the last several months,” Sardar Hussain Babak said. He said the government should announce provincial assembly elections to give the representation to the tribal people.

The ANP leader said the delimitation of constituencies was unfavourable to tribal people and believed that the government had tried to show tribal districts’ to be smaller in population.

“The government should not interfere in the erstwhile Fata till the election for the provincial assembly seats in the merged districts,” he said. Sardar Babak said the provincial government was trying to grab the resources of the tribal districts.

“The price-hike is increasing day by day and the government is also imposing new taxes on people,” he said. He said the government would allocate the funds for construction of five million houses in the budget, but there was nothing for people who lost houses, business markets and other infrastructure to militancy in the tribal districts.

“At least 1400 people including 450 women were maimed for life in militant attacks and the government should arrange jobs for them,” Sardar Babak said. He claimed the ANP had rendered sacrifices against the militants and many followers of Bacha Khan were martyred during the militancy.

Babak criticised the government and said it should rehabilitate the infrastructure including schools, hospitals, roads and business markets in tribal districts.