Government committed to establishing writ in insurgency-hit areas soon: Babar

Holding out the PPP-led government's firm commitment to bring effective governance to the insurgency-hit north-western areas, Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Dr Babar Awan on Friday said it has taken the bold initiative to tackle all issues head on.
He said that the government has made a conscious decision to move Pakistan out of 'self denial' mode. The senator was speaking on 'Swat - A Paradise Lost or Heaven Gained' at a social forum organised by Association of Physicians of Pakistani Descent of North America.
Awan stated that the government will take all measures and decisions however, difficult or unpopular they may be, to restore the writ of people in Malakand division and other parts of NWFP and federally administered tribal areas. As a result of successful operation by Pakistan army, about 80 per cent of Swat valley has been cleared of militants, he told the gathering. He said a force of 100,000 is being recruited to make peaceful governance and local administration sustainable.
Awan strongly defended the government's large-scale endeavour to provide relief assistance to millions of displaced people of Malakand division. All available resources are being spent transparently to help the people, who left their homes about two months ago following the launch of military drive to oust the Taliban militants from the area, he added.
He said that the government agencies are supplying aid to the internally displaced persons efficiently and everything is being put online to ensure transparency and effectiveness of the effort. The federal minister told the gathering that the displaced persons have already started returning to their homes. Pakistan, he said, will emerge victorious in the critical battle against militancy.
Dr Farooq Sattar, Federal Minister for Overseas Pakistanis, also addressed the APPNA social forum, stating that Pakistan today is witnessing a defining movement. He said the nation can pull itself out of the current situation by adhering to the vision of Quaid-e Azam. He advocated the introduction of a politico-social reform agenda. Dr Sattar emphasised that ongoing struggle against militants is a must-win for Pakistan and that democracy needs to be strengthened and protected at all costs.
In his remarks, the APPNA president said the body would like to see in Pakistan establishment of rule of the law, independent judiciary and complete democracy and toward this end it would continue to support democratically elected governments.
The forum was also attended by PML-N leader Javed Hashmi, Senator Haji Muhammad Adeel of Awami National Party, Dr Muhammad Iqbal Khalil of Jamaat-e-Islami, Professor Pervez Hoodbhoy of Quaid-i-Azam University, Shuja Nawaz of Washington-based Atlantic Council. The panel discussion was followed by a lively interactive session in which APPNA members evinced a keen interest in the socio-economic and political affairs and uplift of the people.