PHOTO: surveymonkey
Resolving the trust deficit, continuous efforts, technical and financial support from the world community and long-term strategies on the part of the government could help address the needs of people from tribal areas.
This was stated by Muhammad Zahoor, a senior official of the Planning and Development department of FATA Secretariat, at a conference held at a local hotel in the city on Tuesday. “It could also help develop this neglected area and bring it to par with the rest of the country,” he said.
He expressed these views while sharing the first-ever FATA Development Indicators Household Survey 2013-14 with the media.
The report was completed in October 2015, which according to Zahoor, shows progress in health, education and other socio-economic sectors compared to the 1998 census.
Without trust
Before highlighting the data from various socio-economic sectors, Zahoor said a deficit of trust existed between the government and tribal society.
“And this deficit of trust,” Zahoor said, “Is the main reason behind the ongoing trends of terror and violence in the tribal belt.” If regular public meetings are held, their needs addressed and their customs understood, Zahoor added, government functionaries could easily help change minds and hearts in the region.
Answering a question, Zahoor said, “During the survey, a majority of tribespeople said they wanted the existing tribal system to be reformed.” They asked for a local government system and access to justice, human and political rights.
However, many people from the tribal areas stand divided about its merger with K-P and some of them want it to have an independent status with reforms, all in accordance with tribal traditions, Zahoor said.
Let the numbers speak
According to the data, literacy rate in Fata was registered at 33.3%, including 49.7% men and 12.7% women. He said compared to the 1998 census, there is a tremendous increase registered in the literacy rate; previous data said only 17.1%, including 29.2% men and 2.7% women, were literate within certain parameters.
Zahoor said 31.6% tribesmen have access to health services in Fata whereas people with disabilities constitute 7% of the population. The data revealed unemployment rate amongst youth between the ages of 15 and 25 years is 10.8%. He said only 7.5% tribesmen are getting services of commercial and scheduled banks.
About 71.8% tribespeople are listening to the radio and only 2% are known to be reading newspapers.
Only 8.9% of tribespeople have access to potable water and 31.4% get drinking water from lakes, among other sources.
Only 6.3% have access to drainage and sewerage facilities whereas 64.3% ‘are unaware of such names’,” Zahoor added.
On future development
Zahoor further stated five development projects at an estimated cost of $52 million are in the completion stage.
“After the first round of development projects, the FATA Planning and Development department is going to start work on round two,” he added. In response to a question, he said that 80% of development projects will be completed by 2025.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 20th, 2016.
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