4,000 damaged houses in South Waziristan: NA body concerned at not completing survey

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly Standing Committee on States and Frontier Regions (SAFRON) expressed serious concern over not completing the survey of 4,000 damaged houses in some areas of South Waziristan and directed the additional deputy commissioner Tribal District South Waziristan to complete the survey within two weeks and to submit its report to the committee.

The committee met with MNA Muhammad Jamalud Din in the chair at the Parliament on Thursday.

The committee expressed its grave concern when informed that the survey of around 4,000 damaged Houses is still not completed due to the law and order situation on ground in some areas of South Waziristan.

Thereafter, the committee directed the additional deputy commissioner Tribal District South Waziristan to complete the remaining/leftover surveys of damaged houses within two weeks and forward all the survey forms to Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Unit (RRU) Secretariat, Peshawar without any further delay as the matter is in process for the last 6-7 years and submit back the report to the committee accordingly.

The additional deputy commissioner South Waziristan, while briefing the committee regarding Special Integrated Area Development Package for Tribal District South Waziristan, informed that the Project Management Unit (PMU) is not fully functional due to the ban on appointment of Grade-17 and above employees by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

The committee directed the additional deputy commissioner, South Waziristan to process the case and sent to the ECP requesting for NOC for the appointment of Grade-17 and above employees as soon as possible in order to make functional the PMU and to deliver the development projects in time.

The committee was also briefed on the progress regarding the alleged illegal absorption of 77 Levies Force/Khasadar in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Police in detail by the special secretary, Home and Tribal Affairs Department, Government of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.

He admitted before the committee while briefing on the above said case that gross violation was made in the appointment and absorption of the above 77 personnel and their case has been referred to the Provincial Inspection Team to dig out the whole process leading to the absorption of these Levies/Khasadar and fix responsibilities and make the recommendation for corrective and punitive course of action against the responsible.

The committee directed the special secretary Home and Tribal Department to expedite the case and submit the report back to the committee within two weeks accordingly.

The committee also discussed the issue of regularization of Governors Model Schools Staff and release of their salaries which have been stopped for the last six months. The committee directed the secretary Elementary and Secondary Education to move the summary immediately for seeking grant-in-aid in order to make payment to the staff of the above-mentioned schools.

The meeting was attended by MNAs: Ibadullah Khan, Chaudry Muhammad Ashraf, Nasiba Channa, Afreen Khan, and officers/officials of the ministry and its attached departments.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023