The engineers of Pakistan Army are busy in carrying out unprecedented development work in Federally Administered Tribal Area (Fata) to improve living standard of tribal people and bring the area at par with the developed areas of the country. Efforts of Army engineering Corps is being highly appreciated at local level, a PTV documentary said.
The tribal belt of the country is spread over more than 27,000 square miles. It is located on Pak-Afghan border, and consists of seven agencies namely Bajaur Agency, Mehmund Agency, Khyber Agency, Orakzai Agency, Kurram Agency, North Waziristan Agency and South Waziristan Agency.
The government has planned to work on several projects for the development of tribal areas, which include improving communications infrastructure, supply of electricity, provision of basic health facilities, provision of clean drinking water and education facilities.
These development projects would provide the basic amenities of life to the people of the area, raising their standard of living and bringing them at par with other developed areas of the country.
The government has planned to construct 1,921 kilometre long road network in the entire region, while 1,409 kilometre roads have been completed so far. Improving road network in the mountainous area would ultimately bring progress, development and prosperity in the area.
Plan for road network of 215 kilometre road was approved in the Mehmund Agency, while work on 166 kilometre on it has been completed till now. Out of 206 kilometres road in Khyber Agency, 125 kilometre of road have been completed. 151 kilometre road out of 169 kilometre have been completed in Orakzai Agency. 164 kilometre road out of 19 kilometre, 380 kilometre out of 527 kilometre, 424 out of 631 kilometre road have been completed in Kurram Agency, North Waziristan Agency and South Waziristan Agency respectively.
In education sector, the government had ambition to build 33 schools and colleges in the area, while work on 32 schools has been completed and other is under construction.
Even in some areas due to the shortage of teachers, staffers of Pak army education corps are imparting education in schools. To provide the basic health facilities to the people of tribal areas, the government is constructing three basic health units for which an amount of Rs 66 million has been allocated. In the area, 125 regular medical camps and 88 special medical camps are operating. So far 300,000 patients visited these camps, and provided medical facilities, while 794 eye operation have also been conducted.
Out of 32 schemes for provision of clean drinking water, work on 25 schemes have been completed, while work on remaining is underway. 710 hand-pumps, out of 935 have been installed. 20 wells and 18 tube-wells are also being dug and sunk to ensure the provision of clean drinking water.
The government has also planned to construct 10 watercourses for irrigation purposes. To meet the electricity requirements, 12 small thermal power stations are being installed. One cricket ground and fourteen children parks have been constructed in the area.
Pak Army is ensuring provision of edible items on 50 percent discount on eve of religious and national festivals. The services of Pak army are being extremely admired by the inhabitants of the tribal belt, and they vow to put their all energies for development, prosperity and defence of the Pakistan.