‘Concrete measures afoot for uplift of tribal areas’

PESHAWAR: Provincial Minister for Local Government, Elections and Rural Development Akbar Ayub Khan said on Monday that the government was taking concrete measures to ensure socio-economic development of tribal districts to end their sense of deprivation that was caused over the past 72 years.

He said that Chief Minister Mahmood Khan was personally monitoring the development process of the tribal areas. He expressed these views during his visit to Tehsil Jamrud of Khyber District where MPA Haji Muhammad Shafiq Afridi, MPA Bilawal Afridi, Deputy Commissioner District Khyber Mehmood Aslam Wazir and other officials of the relevant departments were in attendance. Additional Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Riaz briefed the minister on the development schemes underway in the district.

Speaking on the occasion, Akbar Ayub Khan said he had undertaken the visit under the special directives of Prime Minister Imran Khan and Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mahmood Khan to inquire about the problems being faced by people of the area.

He said that merger of tribal areas was a big challenge but it was successfully met by the present government under the prudent leadership of Imran Khan.The provincial minister said that the present government was pursuing a 10-year development program to bring tribal areas at par with other areas of the country in terms of development.

During the visit, the tribal elders informed the minister about their problems and the high officials of the district administration were asked to take solid measures for resolution of all issue.Akbar Ayub Khan also issued directives to TMA Jamrud for taking steps for cleanliness, clean drinking water and washrooms in Jamrud Bazaar. He assured the elders that only local people would be appointed against posts at local level on merit to eradicate unemployment in the area. The provincial minister said that problems of Malgori would be resolved on priority basis.