NOWSHERA: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Sardar Mehtab Ahmad Khan on Tuesday said expeditious repatriation of all internally displaced persons in the wake of the successful completion of targeted operation in Fata was the government’s top priority.

He urged tribal elders and people to be conscious of their responsibilities for restoration of peace and stability in tribal areas, saying this will mark a new beginning of progress in the mountainous region.

The governor expressed these views while addressing elders of IDPs from Khyber Agency during a visit to their camp in Jalozai area here.

Senator Haji Khan Afridi, MNAs Haji Shahji Gul Afridi and Nasir Khan Afridi, provincial chief secretary Amjad Ali Khan, additional chief secretary of Fata Azam Khan, Peshawar commissioner, Khyber Agency political agent and relevant Fata secretariat officials accompanied the governor.

The governor said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif wanted to see the people of Fata live a normal life and that in line with his directions, the federal government had already provided relief to all IDPs.

He praised the army officers and personnel for rendering great sacrifices for peace and stability in Fata and said tribal elders would have to continue supporting the army for the region’s development. Sardar Mehtab said the purpose of targeted operation in Fata was to wipe out all terrorist sanctuaries.

Orders provision of best possible facilities to displaced persons

“So for, the operation is fully successful,” he said, adding that all possible facilities were being given to IDPs. Sardar Mehtab said the entire nation stood by the army for action against terrorists.

He assured elders of IDPs that the government would address their grievances.

The governor directed the relevant authorities to take immediate steps to ensure provision of the best educational facilities to IDPs.

He said the government was aware of the problems facing displaced persons and would use all available resources for their assistance, rehabilitation and dignified and speedy resettlement.

Sardar Mehtab said the government would continue supporting IDPs until the rehabilitation of the last displaced person.

He directed officials of the Fata Disaster Management Authority and political administrations to serve IDPs sincerely.

On the occasion, the governor declared growing polio incidence a national issue and said the government had evolved a joint strategy to overcome the problem, especially in tribal areas and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

He said the government was in the process of strengthening its strategy to ensure vaccination of all children under five years in Fata and IDP camps against polio.

“We will leave no stone unturned to eradicate polio from the country in the shortest possible time,” he said.

Sardar Mehtab said keeping in view the current security situation and in line with the prime minister’s directives, a robust national strategy had been evolved to deal with the polio crisis.

He said the children of the families fleeing Khyber Agency had been vaccinated against polio under special arrangements.

The governor said growing polio incidence was not a political issue and that collective efforts should be needed to contain it.

He later inspected a school established at the IDP camp and directed the relevant authorities to take every possible steps to ensure provision of the best possible education facilities to children there.

Sardar Mehtab also distributed gifts among schoolchildren.

He later told reporters that making repatriation of all IDPs would be the government’s top priority to restore normalcy in Fata. “Whether it is a single family or IDPs in hundreds, it is a humanitarian problem and we are fully conscious of the difficulties facing them,” he said.

The governor said tribesmen of Khyber Agency had left their homes for a great national cause and that their sacrifices would never go to waste.

Published in Dawn December 3rd , 2014