Punjab Minister for Law, Parliamentary Affairs and Social Welfare Basharat Raja has said the government was pursuing plans to bring development and upgrade the living standards of the people of DG Khan and Rajanpur's rural and tribal areas.
He was presiding over a meeting of the committee set up in this regard at the Civil Secretariat on Tuesday.
Punjab Assembly Deputy Speaker Dost Muhammad Mazari, Provincial Minister for Irrigation Mohsin Leghari, MNA Riaz Mahmood Mazari, MPA Ahmad Ali Dareshk, additional chief secretary home, IGP, board of revenue senior member, Punjab Planning and Development Board chairman, commissioner and RPO DG Khan, Rangers officers and other concerned officers were also present.
Stakeholders were consulted for the security and infrastructure development in DG Khan and Rajanpur tribal areas and suggestions were taken for the future course of action.
Raja said Chief Minister Sardar Usman Bazdar wanted to improve security and basic social structure in the Katcha area.
“Sardar Usman Bazdar is the first chief minister in the history of Punjab to think about the development of Katcha and tribal areas,” he said.
The minister maintained that the problems faced by Border Military Police (BMP) and other agencies would be addressed on a priority basis and BMP would be provided with equal service structure, resources and training of Punjab Police.
"The people of Katcha area won’t be deprived and we will build more schools, hospitals, roads and create employment opportunities,” he added.
Earlier, in the briefing, it was informed that the tribal areas were currently being administered by political assistants, Border Military Force and Balochistan Levies.
It was further revealed that out of 502 posts within BMP, 376 are vacant.
“The BMP and Balochistan Levies have a severe shortage of essential resources such as vehicles, buildings, weapons and equipment," he said.
Leghari highlighted that BMP has been in dire need of resources and training.
Mazari said BMP offices and outposts were in a dilapidated condition and there was an urgent need for reforms in the tribal areas.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 7th, 2020.
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