Tribal youth demands compensation for affected families in FATA

Muhammad Abuzar

PESHAWAR: Youth of North Waziristan Agency have expressed great resentment over non-provision of compensation package for rehabilitation of the militancy-hit people of the tribal agency and asked government to take tangible measures for rehabilitation of the affected families in their respective areas in agency.

Despite conducting assessment survey of damaged infrastructure thrice in parts of North Waziristan Agency after successful completion of Zarb-e-Azb but to no nail, said Chairman National Youth from NWA, Mohsin Dawar, while speaking at a news conference at Peshawar Press Club on Thursday.

Regarding tribesmen, he informed they have been deprived from the compensation to rebuild their damaged houses after decade-long militancy and uncertainty in the area. He said the local and foreign donor agencies and organizations had given funds of billion of rupees, but the process of rehabilitation and reconstruction was yet to be initiated in the tribal region.

Mr Dawar said that the miseries of the militancy-hit people are endless despite their return to respective areas in the agency.

He said the people of NWA had adversely been affected from the ongoing terrorism, but the political administration didn’t take practical steps for mitigating their sufferings.

He said the administration of colleges and universities in settled areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had collected high tuition fees from the affected tribal students, while the educational institutions are being privatized in North Waziristan Agency. He added the decision was unacceptable to people of the agency, due to which wasted precious time of the students. He demanded the reopening of two colleges in the tribal agency.

Flanked by leader of Waziristan Students Society, Sajjad Khan Dawar, Sultan Dawar and others, the tribal youth leader asked the government to ensure transparency in assessment survey of infrastructure damages in NWA, while the tribal people should be compensated in those areas where the survey had been completed.

He also demanded the inquiry should be conducted into the foreign donor funds for rehabilitation of the temporarily dislocated people of Federally Administered Tribal Areas. He called for resumption of papers cancelled by the political administration.

He alleged that the staffs appointed in Fata Disaster Management Authority (FDMA) for rehabilitation belonging to single family, and demanding the authorities concerned to conduct inquiry in this regard.

He also demanded the increase in compensation package for the rehabilitation of militancy-hit people of North Waziristan Agency, as the amount announced by federal government was insufficient, he added. He further asked the inquiry against officials of FDMA and Fata secretariat, who were allegedly involved in corruption.