Army has no direct role in the ongoing operation against terrorists, in North and South Waziristan Agencies but its presence there was to assist and help the political administration and the law-enforcing agencies in the maintenance of law and order.
Talking to newsmen after inaugurating Frontier Constabulary Foundation School in Shabqadar Fort, in District Charsadda, Interior Minister Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao said, no proposal was presently under consideration of the government to depute regular army troops in the Tribal Areas as the Charsadda force and militia are performing their duties in extremely satisfactory manner.
The Interior Minister said, various measures are on card for the establishment of lasting peace in the tribal belt including the formation of local peace committees. The proposed peace committees would have broad-based representation of the local tribal leaders, Ulema, elders and elite belonging to different shades of life, he added.
Sherpao said, "Agency Councils are being activated for the purpose", adding that the elected councils have greater role in tribal system.
Interior Minister said, Tribal Areas where there is concentration of foreign terrorists, are the focus of attention of the government. The government, he said, is determined to purging the Tribal Areas of the foreign elements and would use every option to achieve the desired results.
When his attention was drawn towards the reported rumours about regrouping of Taleban in the Tribal Areas, the Interior Minister said, "this is all propaganda as Taleban have no existence there". In fact foreign elements are responsible for vitiating the peaceful situation in Tribal areas, he said, adding, in the recent episode, some terrorists attacked the FC check-post jointly manned by the FC and army in Dattakhel area.
The reshuffling in Afghan cabinet is an internal affair of Afghanistan, he said, adding, the change in the Afghan cabinet would further improve relations between the two neighbours. Pakistan is key player in reconstruction and rehabilitation of Afghanistan and contributed 250 million dollars for the same, he added. Presently 2.6 million Afghan refugees are residing in Pakistan. Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao said, the tribal people have always demonstrated total conviction for the country and offered numerous sacrifices for this purpose since independence of the country in 1947.
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