Peshawar: Pakistan government will soon
decide on a request from the business community to declare the
North West Frontier Province a "war affected zone" as the
region's economy has suffered due to increasing militancy.
This was stated by NWFP Governor, Owais Ahmed Ghani,
after his meeting with a delegation of traders and
businessman.
The army will remain in the tribal areas till the
situation there is completely normalised and peace is
established, he told reporters.
A proposal to declare the NWFP a "war affected zone,"
which was prepared following recommendations from traders, has
been sent to the federal government for approval. A decision
is expected shortly and the federal government has agreed in
principal to give the status of war affected zone to the NWFP,
Ghani said.
The decision was delayed due to time taken to prepare the
proposal. After it was finalised with the consensus of the
business community, the proposal was sent to the federal
government, he said.
Ghani said stability in Afghanistan is a must for
sustainable peace in Pakistan's tribal belt and NWFP.
"If chaos and unrest continue to persist in the
neighbouring country on our western border, the tribal areas
of Pakistan and settled districts of NWFP will continue to
(face problems)," he said.
He also announced the setting up of a trust for victims
of a recent car bombing at Peshawar's Meena Bazar that killed
over 100 people and donated Rs 50 lakh for it.
Ghani rejected the impression that al-Qaeda elements are
present in the tribal areas and NWFP and described Afghanistan
as the safe haven of militants.
The security forces had broken the back of militants and
terrorists and their network had been dismantled, he added.
PTI
First Published: Thursday, December 24, 2009, 20:08