Nazia Nazar
Peace in former FATA and holding of peaceful elections is indeed a success story. Military with the backing of the people of Pakistan has set the new standards and shown to the world how to fight terrorism; rehabilitate the affected people, and mainstream the people of areas neglected in the past. The US and its NATO allies – the best fighting machine in the world – could not achieve what Pakistan armed forces achieved in Pakistan. This will become a case study for the rest of the world. The problem is that there has been no development worth the name since inception of Pakistan, with the result the people are deprived of gainful employment. Anyhow, it is the responsibility of the federal government to take substantive initiatives to expedite the development of the region, which will provide job opportunities to the people of the area.
Anyhow, the first-ever provincial assembly elections have been held in tribal districts where people exercised their right to vote for electing 16 lawmakers in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Assembly on Saturday. Almost all significant parties had fielded their candidates, and four women will be indirectly elected to the assembly while a minority lawmaker would be elected on quota basis. Two women candidates also contested from Khyber and Kurram districts for the general seats, which is reflective of progressive thinking. Elected representatives of the people will bring up the problems of the people in the KP assembly; and it is hoped that the development of the area on war footing will bring prosperity to the people. The government has already expressed resolve to spend billions of rupees in the next 10 years for the development of erstwhile FATA and uplift of the local population.
This will help in bringing them at par with the citizens of the other areas, and remove any sense of deprivation among them. The region remained troubled for over 16 years since the so-called war on terror started. During operations by the army, thousands of terrorists were killed and large number of weapons and explosives seized. The armed forces and people of the region also gave tremendous sacrifices, which brought peace and it became possible to hold elections. The state has also started the fencing of the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, which would help in preventing illegal cross-border movement and the drug trade. The fencing of the 2,611-kilometre border is expected to be completed by 2020 whereas 643 kilometres – 462 kilometres in KP and 181 kilometres in Balochistan – have been covered so far. 843 border posts are planned, out of which 233 have been completed.
The opponents of mainstreaming former FATA and merging it with KP, and those outfits like PTM would not be able to use grievances of the people. Army has been sincerely making efforts to uplift the life of masses in Pashtun Tribal belt, and the people of former FATA are witness to the fact that Pakistan Army has contributed a great deal towards nation-building both in kinetic and non-kinetic realms. Inter alia, the socio-economic spheres such as education, health, communication and telephony, national logistics, infrastructural development, and disaster management including rescue, relief and rehabilitation activities in the aftermath of natural calamities, are but a few worth noting. By such efforts, the people of the region would be able to live in peace and without trepidation and fear of the terrorists. Pakistan military leadership is resolved that it will never allow to disturb hard-earned peace in the area.
