Dar meets KP governor, discusses repatriation of IDPs

PESHAWAR: Federal Finance Minister Senator Ishaq Dar on Wednesday discussed matters related to the repatriation of the internally displaced persons (IDPs) from the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Sardar Mahtab Ahmad Khan.
The governor welcomed Senator Ishaq Dar and his team at the Governor’s House. Sardar Mahtab briefed the federal minister about the measures for the restoration of peace in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Fata.
He said that repatriation of IDPs to their homes was started March 16 and till now 280,000 people of 40,000 families had been sent back home. He added that the repatriation of all the IDPs of Khyber Agency would be materialised till the end of August this year.
The governor said that sacrifices offered by the Pakistan Army and security forces in fighting terrorism in the tribal belt was a bright chapter in the history of the country. He said all the big and small industrial units were being reopened in Bara tehsil in Khyber Agency.
He said the government would provide all possible assistance and facilities to the industrialists. Sardar Mahtab said that the jawans of Pak Army, security forces, political administration and the patriot tribesmen offered a lot of sacrifices that resulted in bringing peace and stability in the tribal areas.
He said rehabilitation, reconstruction and economic activities started in the tribal belt soon after the return of IDPs. The governor said that Rs1.5 billion had been allocated for the rehabilitation, reconstruction and infrastructure in the tribal areas.
The federal minister commended the efforts of the governor for bringing peace and stability in the tribal belt. He expressed the hope that very soon promising results would come out of these efforts and Fata would be turned into a peaceful and developed zone.