PM announces Rs100b package for tribal areas

Premier says the amount government would spend per annum had not been spent on the region in the past 70 years

WANA: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday announced an annual package of Rs100 billion for the development of tribal areas and declared that the amount would be spent every year for the next 10 years.

Addressing a gathering of tribal elders at Spinkai Raghzai area of South Waziristan, the prime minister noted that the amount that the government would spend annually had not been spent on the region in the past 70 years.

The premier vowed to provide all those facilities to the people of tribal areas that had they had been deprived off till now.

He observed that the region was the poorest in the country, with lowest level of education and highest unemployment and that people migrated to Middle Eastern countries to earn livelihood.

He said he believed that the people of tribal areas had been left behind because "No one understood them nor did they try to understand them".

He lauded the bravery and patriotism of the residents of South Waziristan, who, he said, always stood with the country's forces in hard times, including the 1965 war.

PM Khan stressed on providing a level playing field to all the areas in the country to achieve progress and prosperity.

He added that when he spoke about a 'naya Pakistan' (new Pakistan), he envisioned a Pakistan which should have been created in 1947 as per the vision of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and Allama Muhammad Iqbal.

He said that he understood the culture and traditions of the people living in the tribal areas.

The premier observed that he was aware of the problems of the residents in the region and that the purpose of his visit was to address their concerns.

"I will do for you whom no one has done before, nor will be able to in the future," he pledged.

The premier declared that the people of the region would be given Sehat Insaf Card. Additionally, he said, the residents will also be given special funds for the damage caused to their houses in the fight against militancy.

He added that a special quota of loans for entrepreneurship will be allocated for the youth so that they can setup their own shops.

He announced that the government had decided to pave 100 kilometres of new roads in Waziristan.

PM Khan observed that two degree college, one for boys and one for girls, will be established in Wana and added that a sports complex would also be set up.

He stated that grid stations would be upgraded and solar power will be introduced in some parts of the tribal areas.

PM Imran called on the people of the tribal areas to trust him observing that a naya Pakistan could not be formed if there was inconsistency between different parts of the country in terms of development.

He urged upon his supporters for patience and noted that it would take time to deal with the loans acquired by the previous governments that had heavily indebted the country.

The premier promised that the region would start seeing a change soon as funds slowly start trickling in during Ramazan.

With additional input from news desk