PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa cabinet on Tuesday approved a proposal for the bifurcation of South Waziristan tribal district for ‘better service delivery and effective management’.

The cabinet met here with Chief Minister Mahmood Khan in the chair. The ministers, administrative secretaries and other relevant officers also attended the meeting.

Spokesman for the government Barrister Mohammad Ali Saif later told reporters that the division of South Waziristan into Upper and Lower South Waziristan districts was a major step to facilitate the residents.

He said Upper South Waziristan district would comprise Ladha, Makin, Tayyarzai, Sarokai and Shawal tehsils with Spinkai Rakhzai as its headquarters, while Lower South Waziristan district would consist of Wana, Shakai, Loi Khwla and Birmil tehsils with Wana being its headquarters.

CM orders early filling of vacancies in tribal districts

Mr Saif said the cabinet also approved the creation of two new sub-tehsils, including Ahmadzai Wazir and Utmanzai Wazir in Wazir sub-division of Bannu district for the better facilitation of the people in terms of service delivery and effective management.

He said the headquarters of the two sub-tehsils would be Domel and Bakkakhel, respectively.

The spokesman said the KP Livestock Sector Development Strategy and 10 years Business Plan was also approved in the meeting for attaining the objectives of the KP Livestock Policy, 2018.

“The strategy envisages improved livestock efficiency and production for the benefit of the livestock producers and consumers,” he said.

Mr Saif said the livestock sector was one of the vital sectors that catered to the food security and livelihood needs of most of the people, especially those living in rural areas.

“The Livestock Sector Development Strategy and Plan calls for strengthening the disease surveillance, monitoring, reporting and controlling mechanism through restructuring and capacity building of the staff as well as coordination with the farmers and private sector to encourage investment in this important sector,” he said.

The spokesman said the cabinet also approved the proposed Fisheries Act, 2021, to ensure protection, preservation, conservation, regulation and management of the fisheries biodiversity and aquaculture as well as to enhance the revenue of the province.

He said the establishment of the Project Development Facility in the planning and development department was also approved in line with the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Public Private Partnership Act, 2020, to provide funds for feasibility studies and capacity building, support the appointment of consultants and experts, arrange investor promotion conferences and carry out such other activities meant to accelerate the development of such projects in the province.

Mr Saif said the PDF would consist of the resources available through contributions from the federal and provincial governments, government agencies, and local or foreign development partners.

He said the cabinet approved the restructuring of the board of directors of the KP Oil and Gas Company Limited with Khalid Majid, a expert of oil and gas, energy, minerals, banking and infrastructure sectors, as its chairman. The members include Ishaq Saqi, Dr Mohammad Tahir Shah, Mohammad Yahya and Hifzur Rehman.

Also, the secretaries of energy and power, finance, home department as well as the KPCCI president and KPOGDCL CEO will be the members of the 10-strong board.

The cabinet approved the payment of Rs2 million compensation to every family affected by land acquisition for 300MW Balakot hydropower project insisting the initiative will help complete the project of national importance on time.

The participants also examined progress on the Rs28 billion development schemes being executed in the province, including the construction of roads, supply of water, and provision of healthcare and higher education.

It accorded conditional approval to the solarisation of 2,000 mosques across the province, including tribal districts, as well as the regularisation of 45 trained staff members of the Swat Saif Blood Transfusion Centre and ordered the relevant authorities to take measures for the regularisation of the trained staff of other centres.

The chief minister directed the relevant authorities to take necessary measures for filling all vacant posts in departments and public sector organisations in tribal districts at the earliest to strengthen government offices and improve the quality of service delivered to the people.

He also said the local government and rural development department should place all TMA fire engines at the disposal of Rescue 1122 within a week as was decided in the last cabinet meeting.

Published in Dawn, April 13th, 2022