Special Correspondent
PESHAWAR:Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mahmood Khan on Thursday performed ground breaking of 41 Km Kotki-Karama-Koniguram road and 10 Km long Jana Tai- Takai-Nishpa road in Tribal District South Waziristan.
During his day-long visit, CM also inaugurated 40 bed Category-D Hospital Toi Khulla. He also addressed Jirgas of tribal elders at Kaniguram and Toi Khulla. Provincial Minister Akbar Ayub, Special Assistant to CM Kamran Bangash, Corps Commander Peshawar, Lt. General Nauman Mahmood and Inspector General FC south Major General Umar Bashir was also present on the occasion.
Addressing the tribal elders, the Chief Minister said that merger of tribal districts had almost been completed and now provincial government was focusing accelerated development of merged areas adding that efforts were being made to setup border markets and economic zones in merged areas to create employment opportunities for local peoples.
He said development of tribal districts was among top most priorities of incumbent government. He said government was endeavoring to ensure rapid and sustainable development of merged areas so that issues of tribal people could be addressed on sustainable basis. “Developmental strategy of provincial government would usher new era of development and prosperity in merged areas”, he remarked.
CM said that matter regarding provision of Rs. 100 billion developmental package annually for tribal districts had been taken up in recent meeting of Council of Common Interest. He said KP had fulfilled its commitment relating to provision of three percent NFC share.
Other provinces should also fulfill their commitments and ensure provision of 3% of their NFC share for the tribal district, he added. Matter regarding exemption in taxes for additional five years had been taken up with Prime Minister, he stated.
Mahmood Khan said that work on various developmental schemes in education and health sector of tribal district was in progress whereas small dams would be constructed to develop agriculture sector in the areas. He said that issues being faced by tribal people would be resolved.
He also directed Commissioner Dera Ismail Khan to present detailed report on issues faced by people of South Wazirstan and said that administration was already working to settle down disputes among tribes regarding ownership of lands adding that traditional Jirga system was being restored to resolve all the local issues in peaceful manner.