President Arif Alvi. PHOTO: FILE
“We are working for a constitutional framework for a balance of power between the Centre and the provinces but the government is not rolling back the 18th Amendment,”Dr Alvi said on Saturday.
He was addressing a press conference at the Khyber-Pakhtunkwa (K-P) Governor House in Peshawar during his maiden visit to the provincial capital.
The president also talked about the missing persons issue and said the judiciary, the government and the army were working together to resolve it. “Prime Minister Imran Khan and Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa have had discussions on the crisis and they have sought input of the authorities concerned on the missing persons cases.”
He said a constitutional amendment for merging the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) with K-P was an uphill task. “Our party and I have also played a role in it and cleared the way for Fata’s merger. Creation of South Punjab province is also a difficult task that will need a constitutional amendment.”
He said Fata had been merged into K-P but the process of setting up departments and institutions like police, judicial system and local governments in tribal areas was yet to take place.
Alvi also rejected the perception that Levies and Khasadar forces would be abolished as part of the merger plan. He said these forces would be adjusted in other law enforcement agencies, adding that more than 20,000 people would be recruited in police in the seven districts.
“We have increased the share of K-P in the National Finance Commission (NFC) award after the merger and it will be increased by three per cent,” the president added.
He said Pakistan had suffered the most in the war against militancy and K-P and tribal people had rendered matchless scarifies for peace and stability of the country. “To compensate for these losses, we will allocate Rs100 billion in next ten years for residents of the seven districts,” the president said.
Our weapons are for defence, not offence: President Alvi
He said comparing Kartarpur Corridor that links Pakistan and India and the Torkham crossing between Pakistan and Afghanistan was unjust. “Those who cross into Pakistan have to fulfill all requirements as we want to curb militancy. We have to take strict action for stability and peace.”
He said, “We are under a constant threat of militancy in the country. That’s why we have taken extra measures on the western border and allow only those people to cross who can prove their identity.”
He said that after the merger of Fata with K-P, the Constitution necessitates provincial assembly election in the seven tribal districts. “We have asked the provincial government and the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to make arrangements in this regard.”
The president said the security forces had offered unmatched scarifies for establishing peace in the country and that was why peace had prevailed from Khyber to Karachi, and the industries were booming.
He said Peshawar’s Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) project would be completed by June next year and over 0.4 million people would benefit from it. “K-P has great potential for tourism and we would like assistance from the private sector in developing the tourism industry.”
Sami’s family
President Alvi also visited Darul Uloom Haqqania in Akora Khattak in the evening to offer condolences to family of Maulana Samiul Haq. Sami was stabbed to death at his Rawalpindi residence last month.
The president offered Fateha at his grave and met his sons Hamidul Haq and Anwarul Haq. He said it was the responsibility of the government to arrest Sami’s assassins and bring them to justice.
[WITH ADDITIONAL INPUT FROM APP]
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