PESHAWAR (January 24 2005): Tribal elders belonging to scenic valley of lower Kanigaram in South Waziristan Agency have highly appreciated Governor NWFP Lieutenant General Syed Iftikhar Hussain Shah (Retd) for increasing the development budget of Fata to Rs 9 billion which was below Rs one billion few years back. Leading tribal elders namely Malik Mohammad Qareeb Barki, Malik Haji Khawasa Khan, Malik Shah Jehan Barki and Malik Taj Mohammad were addressing a tribal Jirga at lower Kanigaram on Sunday.
They said increase in the development budget of tribal areas would put an end to the backwardness of Fata.
The Governor, they said, wanted to bring the backward tribal areas at par with settled parts of the country and this high jump in the development allocations was a step towards this end. They deplored that the previous successive regimes did not take any interest in the development of tribal areas as a result today Fata was the most under-developed part of the country.
The tribal population which is more than ten million today have great regards and respect for the present Governor of the province, they added.
The tribal elders through a unanimous resolution urged the Governor to sanction one drinking water tubewell for the dwellers of village Chalghuzi Mehmud Koroona in lower Kanigaram of Tehsil Ladha in South Waziristan Agency.
Verizon, please don't fool around. As I said earlier, if you have nothing better to add, then please refrain from adding such comments. shukria :)
IMHO, this is indeed a positive development but the fact is that merely increasing the budget won't solve all the problems, alleviate the suffering and mitigate the woes and suspicion they have towards the centre. The question should be whether this increase would ever trickle down to the common masses, would it ever provide them with the much needed facilities and amneties of life.
The most important thing I believe is to bring those areas in the political and social mainstream, that is at par with the rest of the country, atleast. But that can't be done over night, as they have their age old laws specific to that area and it 'll definitly take time to make inroads. Its important to take those people in confidence and only a 'go slow' approach' in my opinion could ultimately work there.