The media is viewing this as a precursor to major policy decisions to be made in regards to NWFP and FATA soon.
Orakzai named NWFP governor
By Rahimullah Yusufzai
PESHAWAR: Lt-Gen (retd) Ali Mohammad Jan Orakzai, a tribesman who served as corps commander Peshawar until his retirement from Pakistan Army in March 2004, has been named the new governor of the NWFP. He would replace Khalilur Rehman, a retired Pakistan Navy officer who remained the governor for 14 months and one week. He had taken oath as governor on March 15, 2005 in place of Lt-Gen (retd) Syed Iftikhar Hussain Shah, currently Pakistan’s ambassador to Turkey. Half an hour before he was notified as the new governor, Lt-Gen Orakzai told The News that he had not yet been offered the job. “Nobody has approached me with the offer. I have heard my name being mentioned in the media but I am not sure as to who would be getting the job,” he remarked. It seems Lt-Gen Orakzai was either genuinely unaware of the developments regarding his selection as governor or he was feigning ignorance. In the second scenario, it was a masterly performance of someone hiding his emotions after having come to know that he was to be the governor of his native province.
Lt-Gen Orakzai, who belongs to the Orakzai tribal agency, served as corps commander Peshawar from October 9, 2001 to March 12, 2004. On March 1, 2005 he was made secretary, defence production, a powerful position he is still holding. It was during Lt-Gen Orakzai’s tenure as corps commander that the Pakistan Army first entered some of the remote and inaccessible tribal agencies. The troops also entered the “no-go” areas such as Tirah Valley in Khyber Agency. At that time, the US military and Afghan militias were operating across the border against al-Qaeda and Taliban fighters holed up in the Tora Bora mountain range. When asked if he was interested in getting the governor’s job, Lt-Gen Orakzai politely said he could not say anything. “We would see,” he remarked. In Peshawar, it was learnt that Governor Khalilur Rehman had started packing his baggage in preparations for vacating the Governor House. He had become a resident of the sprawling gubernatorial mansion on March 15 last year after taking oath as governor. The governor met a few people on Monday in keeping with his schedule. However, he failed to turn up at the Pearl Continental Hotel in the evening to be the chief guest at a prize distribution ceremony for talented students. One reason for not attending the function was to avoid mediapersons, who were hoping to chat with him and ask him about his resignation.
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