ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Senator Syed Shibli Faraz has said that mainstreaming of the erstwhile FATA is a long-term project, and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government is committed to continue its efforts for it.
While addressing a Press Conference in Islamabad on Monday, the minister said that erstwhile FATA is located with the Pak-Afghan border; therefore we cannot compromise on the security of the area.
The minister said that various concrete steps have been taken to bring merged tribal districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa at par with other parts of the Country.
The information minister said that the extension of the Courts’ jurisdiction to the merged districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will make provision of justice to the people easy.
Shibli Faraz said that said 28,000 Levies and Khasadars have been merged into police. He said that the FATA Secretariat has been abolished so that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government establishes its governance system.
Senator Shibli Faraz further said that the history’s biggest fund amounting to Rs 100 billion annually was announced for the merged tribal districts for 10 years.
The federal minister said that the PTI government’s flagship program Sehat Insaf Card has been introduced, offering the locals of the merged tribal areas free health facilities.
The minister said that 1,297 posts have been created in the Health Sector while 4,495 posts have been created for education.
In addition, he said that projects have been launched to provide clean drinking water at schools while several schools have also been provided buses.
The information minister also said that a Mining Act has been enforced in the merged tribal areas to tap the mineral resources of the area in a transparent manner.
