Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Pointed questions are slipping from lips where the funds worth trillions of rupees allocated for development projects in FATA have gone amid the reports that every sector therein is on brink of destruction

The communication system in FATA is near to collapse and the uplift projects are next to nil and the plight of schools and hospitals is pitiable.

Federal Government told Senate in writing that over $1.88 billion foreign aid was received for rehabilitation of FATA and other uplift projects during last 10 years. In Pakistani currency it comes to over Rs 0.197 trillion.

According to documents available with Daily Times, over $49.90 million assistance was provided by Japan for rehabilitation and development of FATA and this was directly distributed among food and agriculture sectors while government had no role to play in this perspective.

Assistance of $146 million has been extended by China for FATA and $18 million have been distributed so far. Chinese Government has provided $129 million for rehabilitation of FATA affectees and $10 million are being distributed as cash payment among the affectees. $14 million have been earmarked for rehabilitation of schools in FATA. $105 million will be utilized for rehabilitation of irrigation system, setting up power installations, provision of jobs and development of agriculture sector in FATA.

The documents stated that $3.2 million have been received from UK, $13.4 million from Denmark, $5 million from Sweden, $4.6 million from Norway, $26.1 million from Germany for development of FATA.

Saudi Arabia has provided assistance and loan amounting to $72 billion for construction and rehabilitation of homes in FATA and World Bank has extended assistance to the tune of $47.5 million for FATA.

Documents also stated that under USAID program overall $1.45 billion have been allocated which is being provided through Kerry Lugar bill since 2009. However separate details of funds for FATA and KPK cannot be furnished due to US accounting system.

Despite provision of trillion of rupees foreign aid, no change has come in the fate of people of FATA. Expressing their apprehension, Senators from FATA said that neither a single mega project has been completed by government in the tribal areas nor have the facilities of communication, education and health been provided to tribal people. The tribesmen are facing economic woes being the opportunities of employment next to nil, they added.

The parliamentarians have called for taking measures to ensure utilization of foreign funds equitably for the betterment of people of FATA.