Committee to be set up to merge Khasadar Force into KP Police

Author: Staff Report

ISLAMABAD: The Senate’s Standing Committee on States and Frontier Regions on Tuesday decided to form a sub-committee to work for merger of Khasadar Force into Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police.

The committee, which held its meeting at the Parliament House, with Senator Taj Mohammad Afiridi in the chair, discussed the future of Khasadar Force.

The members of the committee expressed their concern over the absence of law enforcement agencies at the meeting. The committee suggested that a system should be developed for merger of Khasadar Force into KP Police.

Showing concern over lack of law enforcement agencies in erstwhile FATA, Senator Hilalur Rehman asked for the measures being taken by the government to rectify the issue and end the confusion.

Senators Aurangzeb Khan, Haji Momin Khan Afridi, Hidayat ullah, Hillalur Rehman, Sajjad Hussain Turi, Lt Gen (r) Salahuddin Tirmizi and senior officers from the Ministry of States and Frontier Regions attended the meeting.

While discussing a point of public importance raised by Senator Aurangzeb Khan regarding delay in rehabilitation and reconstruction activities in FATA, Senator Aurangzeb was of the view that most homes destroyed in the operation were yet to receive compensation. “Similarly in the case of schools, he said that 80 percent were still closed.” Senator Aurangzeb Khan sought to know the percentage of Rs 884 billion for development being spent in FATA. He recommended that a committee be formed to monitor the situation in the region.

Deliberating over unutilized funds for SDGs in Khyber district, the committee stressed the need to continue development work in the area. The committee recommended that funds, if available, must be used to resolve issues related to water, sanitation and public health.

Senator Aurangzeb Khan suggested that it was imperative that the committee visit all FATA agencies and engage with its people to enquire about their needs. Senator Hillalur Rehman stressed the need for the terms of reference for the 10-year FATA merger plan to be presented.

Published in Daily Times, December 12^th 2018.