Public opinion: Khyber Agency’s tribesmen offer input on FATA’s development budget

Say government should focus more on improving existing facilities and infrastructure.

PESHAWAR:

In a consultative workshop, residents of Khyber Agency asked the government to focus on improving existing development projects and infrastructure instead of initiating new schemes in the agency.

The workshop was organised by the Implementation Support Unit along with the Planning and Development Department of the FATA Secretariat on Tuesday. It was aimed at seeking public opinion on the development budget 2014-15.

Addressing participants of the workshop, FATA Planning and Development Secretary Shahzad Khan Bangash said officials of the FATA Secretariat were there to serve the tribesmen. “A development process without having the target audience’s approval would not result in anything appreciable,” he added.

Accepting the view of tribal people, Bangash said: “If the existing facilities and infrastructure cannot deliver, there is no need to erect new buildings.”

He said it was the call of the hour to use available resources to make the existing infrastructure deliver and benefit the public. “This process of consultation will not remain confined only to the budget,” he said, adding they will consult tribesmen on other issues as well.

Khyber Agency Political Agent Shahab Ali Shah lauded the role of Post Crisis Needs Assessment-Implementation Support Unit for initiating the consultative process. He said it was the beginning of a new era in the history of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata). He added all the recommendations and proposals mentioned in the consultative workshop would be duly accommodated while preparing next year’s development budget.

Participants of the workshop spoke their mind and came up with suggestions for various sectors including health, education, security, governance, resources and agriculture, besides others. They praised the government for taking down their recommendations for the development process.

This was the third consultative workshop which was held for next year’s development budget for Fata. The first workshop was held in Peshawar in November 2013, whereas the second one was held in Khar, Bajaur Agency earlier this month. The process of consultation will be taken to other agencies as well.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 26^th, 2014.