Daily Times

An introductory meeting of the Provincial Joint Commission constituted by the Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to resolve the matters with regard to the recently discovered petroleum and gas resources in North Waziristan, was held here at Chief Minister’s Secretariat on Wednesday with Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur in the Chair.

Elected members of National and Provincial Assemblies from North Waziristan, high ups of energy department and relevant divisional administration, representatives from 11 Corps, SNGPL, Mari Petroleum Company and other concerned institutions attended the meeting. Senior officials of Federal Ministry of Petroleum also attended the meeting via video link.

It is pertinent to mention here that the aforementioned Provincial Joint Commission was constituted to protect the rights of the local population with regard to the revenue/royalty of the recently discovered natural resources in North Waziristan by ensuring fair and just disbursement/utilization of that development funds.

The Commission will also formulate long-term policies/strategies to ensure that the recently discovered natural resources are utilized in the best interests of the country, region, and local population, acting as a liaison amongst committees at district and tehsil level, provincial and federal governments and other stakeholders.

On this occasion, the chief minister urged the Commission to move forward swiftly under the established guidelines, and directed that district and tehsil-level committees should be finalized without any delay. He emphasized that the committees must include elected local representatives, community elders, and district administration officials.

He directed the Commission to come up with viable recommendations within the next fifteen days by conducting extensive consultation with local community through the mentioned committees. He reiterated that the provincial government was committed to fulfilling the legitimate and legal demands of the local population, while matters involving the federal government would be raised with the relevant federal authorities.

Ali Amin Gandapur made it clear that unnecessary delays in such projects is neither in the interest of the nation nor the local communities. He stressed the need for timely solutions to drive the region toward development and added that delays in projects also discourage investment; we are striving to foster a conducive environment attracting investors to the province.

The chief minister maintained that the development of oil and gas producing districts remained a top priority for the government, which was dedicated to fulfilling the legitimate demands of North Waziristan’s people, and in this regard, a three-tier consultative framework had been established.

He said that the commencement of gas production from North Waziristan would yield an annual royalty of five billion rupees for the province; 15 percent of this royalty would be earmarked for the development of the producing district.

However, he emphasized that royalties and other initiatives would only be realized if the progress was made collaboratively for starting production.

The chief minister further outlined that practical steps were underway to provide employment opportunities for the youth of the merged districts. He directed TEVTA officials to immediately establish a technical and vocational training center in a suitable building already available in North Waziristan in order to equip local youth with market-based skills and provide them interest-free loans under the approved schemes of the provincial government.

Additionally, he said that local leaders’ input will be included in development projects. He expressed his commitment to see underdeveloped districts like North Waziristan thrive and assured that all necessary measures will be taken to achieve this goal.