National Assembly Body Express Reservations About Development Schemes In Merged Tribal Areas

The Members of National Assembly Standing Committee on States and Frontier Regions (SAFRON) Friday expressed reservations about the development schemes in erstwhile Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA).

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 22nd Nov, 2019 ) :The Members of National Assembly Standing Committee on States and Frontier Regions (SAFRON) Friday expressed reservations about the development schemes in erstwhile Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA).

Under the Chairmanship of Member National Assembly Sajid Khan, the committee said that they had proof about some development projects in merged tribal areas which were only on paper but not on ground.

The Additional Secretary, Irrigation Department, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa briefed the Committee on all development activities in irrigation sector in merged tribal districts and Sub-Divisions in detail.

The Committee directed the Additional Secretary, Irrigation Department, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to provide list of the development schemes along with exact location and budget details for each scheme to the National Assembly Secretariat at the earliest.

The Additional Secretary, Sports Department, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa also briefed the Committee over the sports activities in merged tribal districts and sub-divisions in detail.

He informed that sports complex would be constructed at each headquarter of tribal districts and at sub-division level with all latest facilities for athletes to promote sports activates in these areas.

After briefing, the Committee recommended that the said sports complex should be constructed in the more thick populated area and site identification should be on merit.

The Members of the Committee expressed their grave concern on non compliance of Cabinet's decision regarding doubling of reserved seats for students of merged tribal areas in the medical and dental colleges of the country which was tantamount to injustice with the students.

In this regard, the Secretary, Health Department, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa also shared the list of adjustment of double seats for students of the merged tribal areas in medical colleges of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and informed the Committee that they had been directed by the Senate Standing Committee on SAFRON in its meeting that the four provinces including AJK would submit the Inspection Form to the Pakistan Medical Commission (PMC).

He further informed the Committee that the Pakistan Medical Commission (PMC) would fulfill their formalities within 10 days and come before the Senate Standing Committee on SAFRON meeting which was proposed to be held next month.

In this regard, the Committee asked the Secretary, National Health, for his personal intervention in the said matter and report to the Committee accordingly.

The Committee further directed the Higher education Commission (HEC) and Home and Tribal Affairs Department to sit together to resolve the issue of seats reserved for erstwhile FATA students in the universities across the country and report to the Committee accordingly.

The meeting was attended by MNAs including Saleh Muhammad, Gul Dad Khan, Gul Zafar Khan, Muhammad Iqbal Khan, Abdul Shakoor Shad, Muhammad Jamal Ud Din, Ali Wazir and officials of the Ministry and its attached departments.