Expressing annoyance over poor performance of political administration of Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata), a parliamentary body on Thursday termed it corrupt and recommended the governor and chief secretary Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to take stock of this grave situation. The Senate Standing Committee on States and Frontier Regions, which met with Senator Hilal-ur-Rehman in the chair declared the Fata's political administration as one of the most corrupt and incompetent administrations.
Rehman alleged that the Fata political administration has become most corrupt, adding that they are just minting money. "The political agents receive huge money for resolution of murder cases and other domestic disputes," he said, adding that their performance is zero as far as solution to the problems faced by the people and development projects in the tribal areas are concerned.
Rehman said in the wake of increasing corruption, development work in the Fata has been badly affected. He said that the political agents take huge money as bribe from commissioners in order to stop their transfers. He alleged that political administration is earning huge money in ongoing verification of computerised national identity cards (CNICs) under the National Action Plan (NAP) and are even verifying the CNICs of alien people.
Rehman further said that the political agents illegally sell and allot state land; therefore, strict action should be taken against them. He said that there are reports of huge corruption in government funds, adding that the record of some important projects is missing.
The officials of National Database and Registration Authority (NAdra) informed the committee that the authority has taken notice of problems faced by the people at the Nadra office Tank-II and transferred the officials who created problems for the public. Senator Muhammad Saleh Shah said that the people who registered complaints against the NADRA officials are receiving threats. He also suggested that separate days should be fixed for male and female visitors at the NADRA offices in order to ensure respect for traditions of FATA people.
Rehman said that the ban on opening of new NADRA centres in the Fata should be reviewed as people there have to travel hundreds of kilometres for getting their CNICs. Senator Momin Khan Afridi said that due to absence of NADRA centre in his constituency, the people are facing problems; therefore, a NADRA centre should be opened there.
The joint secretary Ministry of States and Frontier Regions (SAFRO) told the committee about regularisation of project staff of health directorate for Afghan refugees. He added that project employees were paid out of UNHCR funds; therefore, they are not entitled/ covered under the eligibility criteria of regularisation of Establishment Division. "The ministry extends contract of these employees every year but their regularisation does not come under our domain," he added.
The committee also adopted the report of sub-committee of States and Frontier Regions which met with its convenor Senator Sitara Ayaz. The sub-committee was constituted to investigate non-availability of books to the students in the government schools in Mohmand Agency for the year 2016-2017.
According to the report, there is very poor coordination between the director of Education Fata and the office of the assistant education officer Mohmand Agency for arrangements of books. The subcommittee pointed out that AEO Mohmand Agency could assess the actual demand of books required for the students. The subcommittee recommended that disciplinary action might be taken against the then director Education, AEO Mohmand Agency and other officers concerned for their negligence, adding that they should not be posted back in the Fata.
The committee also expressed anger over the absence of chief executive Fata Development Authority (FDA) from the meeting and deferred the agenda item related to the briefing about the overall development activities of the last five years in Khyber Agency. The committee issued strict directives to chief executive FDA to ensure his presence in the next meeting.
The committee also discussed the issue of site identification and acquisition of land free of cost for establishment of two degree colleges in Bajaur Agency. The committee also discussed different issues of FATA University. The meeting was also attended by Senators Aurangzeb Khan, Hidayat Ullah, Sajjad Hussain Turi and Ahmed Hussain, and senior officials of SAFRON.