Government to deal with foreign elements with an iron hand: Gilani tells Jirga of Mehsud tribes

Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani said on Tuesday that a handful of foreign elements were trying to disrupt peace in the country and the government would control them with an iron hand. Addressing a tribal Jirga of the Mehsud tribes from Waziristan at the Ratta Kalachi camp set up by the government, Gilani said the foreign militants of Arabs, Uzbek, Afghan and Chechen origin were operating in the country and involved in terrorist activities.
He said the operation "Rah-e-Nijat" was launched by the Pakistan Army against the anti-state elements, who were involved in terrorist activities, killing the innocent people and destroying private and public property. Gilani categorically stated that the Mehsud tribes were patriotic Pakistanis and had nothing to do with the handful of terrorists who had taken refuge in their area.
He lauded the role of the tribal people in the creation of Pakistan, and said the nation could never forget it. Accompanied by NWFP Governor Owais Ghani, Federal Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira, Minisster for Parliamentary Affair Babar Awan, Minister of State for Finance Hina Rabbani Khar and Farzana Raja, Gilani was on a daylong visit to personally see the facilities being provided to the people.
The Prime Minister said Rs 24 billion had been earmarked for reconstruction and rehabilitation work as part of the exit strategy and the first instalment of rupees six billion had already been paid to the provincial government. He said Rs 5,000 were being paid to each displaced family, while each displaced family of Waziristan agency would also be provided Rs 25,000 during the rehabilitation phase.
He said it was vital that the development work was undertaken in the tribal areas, and promised to build dams, educational institutions so that they do not feel any sort of deprivation. Prime Minister Gilani said the military operation was no solution and the government, under the exit strategy, would take measures to fill the administrative, economic, social political and cultural vacuum.
He said students, belonging to the Mehsud tribe, would be given admission in all schools on priority, so that they could play an important role in the progress and development of the country. Earlier, Prime Minister Gilani visited various sections of the society. During the visit, he was briefed about the arrangements made for provision of healthcare, food and warm bedding, besides facilities of technical education to displaced persons.