'5,700 people killed in terror attacks in FATA during last six years'

An estimated 80,000 houses were damaged in the tribal areas during this period

ISLAMABAD: More than 5,700 people, including paramilitary force officials, have lost their lives in Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) in terrorist attacks during the last six years.

The Ministry of States and Frontier Regions (SAFRON) revealed this figure during the recently-concluded 42nd session of the National Assembly in a written response to a query by lawmaker Abdul Qahar Khan Wadan of the Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party.

According to surveys conducted by the ministry to assess losses sustained as a result of the ongoing war on terrorism, 5,740 people have been killed in the last six years and an estimated 80,000 houses damaged of which the government had validated 22,471 for compensation.



The ministry informed lawmakers that 234 levies, 174 khasadars and 5332 civilians were killed in terrorist attacks in Fata and 6,427 others injured.

Levies are part of a security apparatus in Fata and settled areas, known as the frontier regions. They are appointed by the political administration on merit and provided weapons by the government. On the flip side, khasadars, referred to as tribal police, are enlisted from among the tribes, usually nominated by maliks, and carry their own weapons.

The SAFRON ministry further added that Rs3.04 billion had been spent under the Rs3.56 billion Shuhada package which the government had earmarked.



Under the Citizen Losses Compensation Programme, the government is providing Rs400,000 to Fata residents to rebuilt houses that have been completely destroyed because of militancy and Rs160,000 for partially damaged houses.

The ministry further stated that the Fata Secretariat had released Rs6.3 billion to the political administrations of five agencies where internally displaced people (IDPs) had started returning, while Rs5.27 billion had been distributed among 15,139 beneficiaries.
During the fiscal year 2016-17, Rs1.73 billion was released to the armed forces for the rehabilitation of IDPs of the sum of Rs1.8 billion that was earmarked for this purpose.

Similarly, Rs50 million have been approved for the revamping of mosques in South Waziristan.