1046 Institutions Damaged In FATA During 10 Years: Senate Told

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 20th july, 2016) : Minister for States and Frontier Regions Lt. General (Retd.) Abdul Qadir Baloch Wednesday informed the Senate that as many as 555 institutions were fully and 491 partially damaged in Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) by militants or during military operations over the last 10 years. Responding to questions in the Senate, the minister said 665 institutes were under construction and rehabilitation which had been carried out through Annual Development Programme (ADP) funds and other donor agencies. The minister said that 60 per cent work had been completed on Government Degree College, Dara Adam Khel which was being constructed at the total cost of Rs 47 million. He said the institution would go a long way in promoting quality education in the area and added it would be completed by June next year. Responding to a question about appointments, the Minister said that during the last five years, one Assistant Manager (BPS-17), and one Agency Coordination Officer (BPS-17), four Assistant (BPS-14), 08 Computer Operator (BPS-12), eight drivers (BPS-04) and 702 Naib Qasids-(BPS-01) had been appointed in the year 2011-12 after fulfilling all codal formalities as per prescribed procedure laid down in the FDA Employees (Appointment, Promotion and Transfer) Rules, 2008.

He said that the Chief Executive, FDA had been empowered to appoint a person in urgency under Rule 9 (Appointment in urgency) of FATA-DA Employees (Appointment, Promotion & Transfer) Rules 2008 and section 14 (2) of FATA Development Authority (Appointment against Project Posts) Standing Order October 2011.

All such appointments are for short span of six months to complete projects in the scheduled time in far flung FATA, he mentioned. Speaking about the ongoing projects, the Minister said that work on Small Irrigation Schemes was in progress in various parts of the remote areas of FATA i.e South Waziristan Agency, North Waziristan Agency and Kurram Agency.

Regarding employment of locals for projects and schemes, he said that Engineers of local areas are given preference for timely completion of work on these projects.