NWFP Governor Owais Ahmed Ghani said on Wednesday that the government was moving forward according to a planned strategy against insurgency in Fata and had been achieving the objectives with total success. "We are moving forward successfully in Fata under a well thought out strategy and the situation now is far better than what it was some two years back", he added.
Now, he said we were entering the third phase of our strategy, which was the phase of stabilisation and development. He was addressing the launching ceremony of 'understanding Fata 2009 report" prepared by Community Appraisal and Motivation Programme, a non-governmental organisation in collaboration with the British Council at a local hotel in Islamabad on Wednesday morning. Former Senator and Presidential Spokesperson Farhatullah Babar presided over the ceremony, which was also addressed by Munir Orakzai MNA from Fata.
NWFP Governor Owais Ahmed Ghani underlined the need for creating more understanding about Fata and appreciated the work done by CAMP in this regard. He described the report "a useful activity" for those who didn't know about Fata and were keen to know what Fata was.
The Governor Owais Ahmed Ghani in his keynote address highlighted the current situation in Fata, government's strategy against militancy and the government's development initiatives. Referring to the current state of Fata, the Governor said that the government was moving as per its chalked out strategy and had achieved almost all the set targets. "Writ of the government in Fata except a few pockets has been established" he said adding that during the third phase of its strategy the ground achievements would be stabilised besides implementing ambitious development programmes for socio-economic uplift of Fata.
He said that dislocation of local people was part of government's strategy to avoid collateral damages during military actions. The IDPs, he added, were being provided all the required facilities, and the process would continue until their honourable and safe return to their ancestral areas.
Governor Ghani said that there was no going back to the pre-militancy status-quo in Fata rather a new era, when their will be administrative, political and socio-economic reforms to usher in a new era of real development in tribal areas. He, in this regard, made a reference to certain reforms announced by the President on 14th August 2009, saying that there were more such reforms under active consideration of the government to be announced at a proper time.
He said the political administration was being strengthened creating a space for a total focus on implementation and monitoring of development projects. An effective monitoring system is in place besides regular interaction with elected members from Fata on ADP schemes. He said that Agency Development Councils would be established comprising local elders and elected representatives to have more close focus on the issues concerning development. This, he added would also result into creation of public ownership of all development programmes.
Responding to various questions the Governor said that it would take 8 to 10 months to fully normalise the situation, as this was a gradual and progressive process. On a question the Governor said that 100 percent normalcy in Fata was only possible when the situation in Afghanistan becomes normal.
He said that the government machinery in Fata was in place and fully alert to respond immediately to any eventuality anywhere in Fata. He didn't agree to a questioner that there was no development in Fata, saying that the development process was going on in all those areas where the situation was conducive for development. He, in this regard, made a mention of certain big projects, including two Dams in North and South Waziristan Agencies and Barang Road in Bajaur Agency, saying that these projects were nearing completion.
Addressing the ceremony former Senator and Presidential spokesperson Farhatullah Babar said that Fata had many distinguished features and the outside world must know more about Fata. He appreciated the efforts made by CAMP for compiling a useful survey report. He said that the international community must understand Fata, its needs and socio-economic condition.
He said that the tribesmen could enjoy the real fruit of development once their areas were purged of the militancy for which the present government was fully determined. He was pleased to see that the nation was then united against and aware of the consequences of militancy and the people of Fata in particular were supporting the government actions in this regard.
Babar also enumerated various development initiatives taken for the first time during different tenures of PPP government. Earlier, through a presentation the head of CAMP Naveed Shinwari highlighted the findings of the survey report. He said that 4000 adult men and women took part in the 2009 poll, which was conducted across the seven tribal agencies and three FRs of Fata.
The exercise, he added aimed to gather the opinion of general public of Fata regarding their social, economic, religious and political issues. He said that "Understanding Fata " was a sincere attempt to, provide a better understanding of what the people of Fata wanted and what they thought of issues that concern them.