PESHAWAR, Feb 11: The Muttahida Qabail Party (MQP) has asked the government to hold negotiations with Taliban, end military operation in Federally Administered Tribal Areas and announce a financial package for rehabilitation of the internally displaced persons.

Addressing a press conference here on Monday, MQP vice-chairman Malik Habib Noor Orakzai urged the government to take concrete steps to stop drone attacks in Fata.

He said that Fata should be awarded the status of a separate province. He said that military operation was not a solution to the problems of Fata. The government should hold talks with Taliban to seek a permanent solution to the problem, he added.

Mr Orakzai said that thousands of tribal people were displaced owing to military operation in Fata. The displaced persons, living in camps, were in dire need of tents, ration and other facilities, he added.

The MQP leader demanded of the authorities to set up a separate university for Fata and award scholarships to tribal students. He said that tribal students suffered owing to closure of educational institutions.

Mr Orakzai said that government should provide residential facilities to students in Fata. He said that the new generation would not be able to get education if government did not pay attention to the development of Fata.

The MQP leader said that Fata parliamentarians failed to mitigate miseries of tribal people. He appreciated appointment of Eng Shuakatullah as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governor and hoped that he would play his role in restoration of peace and solution to the issues of tribal people.

Mr Orakzai criticised Peshawar police for creating hurdles for tribal people, who were coming to the press club to hold demonstration for solution of their problems.

He urged the newly appointed governor to taken serious steps for rehabilitation of all internally displaced persons. He demanded of the governor to provide free food to displaced persons living in camps in various areas of the province. The victims of terrorism should also be compensated properly, he added.

Mr Orakzai demanded of the government to issue computerised national identity cards to the residents of North Waziristan Agency and register them as citizens of the country.