Islamabad: Minister of State for SAFRON Ghalib Khan has said that bureaucracy is a hurdle in developmental projects in FATA.
He was speaking in the meeting of Senate Standing Committee for SAFRON that met under the chairmanship of Senator Hilalur Rehman in the parliament house on Friday.
State Minister has threatened to resign due to the reason that he could not initiate the developmental projects in FATA
The Minister also censured Secretary Planning and Development Zubair Qureshi and said that he and other senior bureaucrats are creating obstacles in the developmental projects of FATA.
The committee recommended that all developmental schemes in progress on the names of persons and personalities should be suspended because they can create tribal disputes and a SOP should be evolved including the name of the scheme. The committee has halted the work on 18 development schemes to the tune of 775 million rupees.
Chairman Committee Hilalur Rehman said that Minister of State should raise this question of delay in the development schemes in the cabinet meeting. It is the first time that Minister and Ministry are at loggerhead. He said for the timely approval of the schemes Governor should also participate in the committee meeting to see the results. It seems that FATA development schemes are on CNG and replace them on High Octane. For the FATA development scheme CDWP is sitting as a butcher and says that they have a right on 13 % commission and talk about beyond.
Minister of State Ghalib Khan said that FATA has been treated as slave of slaves. He said reforms should be carried out in FATA the soonest possible. He said Pakistan is being disrupted because of this in the world. He reiterated bureaucracy makes excuses on excuses but do nothing.
Secretary Planning and Development FATA Secretariat Zubair Qureshi while briefing the committee said that the schemes have been delayed due to the army operation. He said that out of 90 billion rupees schemes approved by the Prime Minister and on the 30 billion rupees schemes army is at work.
Corps Commander said that Khyber, Bajaur, Mahmond Agency is lagging behind in development schemes and will now spend 15 billion rupees on them. He said total schemes are 1103, out of which 444 are new and 55 have been taken up again and out of these 176 have been approved and 268 have not been approved. He said that in all such schemes parliamentarian is consulted. Eight schemes have been approved in phase I for which 384.45 million rupees have been earmarked and these schemes have been approved by FATA development. The committee was presided over by Governor KPK. For 10 schemes of FATA infrastructure development programme phase II, 391.08 million rupees have been earmarked. FATA people used to pin point Governor that this scheme should be taken in hand first.
Senator Hadayatullah said that under the tribal system no roads can be constructed on the name of anyone because this creates problems. If schemes are named, then this matter should be sent to NAB.
Senator Sitara Ijaz said that if schemes are to be given by the Governor then where the peoples representatives will go. She said they will raise the issue in the senate and added that roads should not be named.
Senator Hadayatullah said that this is the first time that roads are built on the names of peoples.
