Situation in NWFP, FATA manageable, says Owais F.P. Report

PESHAWAR: The NWFP Governor Owais Ahmed Ghani has said the security situation in the province and FATA is though complex, complicated and difficult yet manageable. ‘‘The problems are already in the roll back process on many counts while the writ of the state is heading forward,’’ the governor said. This he stated while addressing the participants of the 9th National Security Workshop, currently in progress under the aegis of National Defense University, Islamabad who called on him at Governor House on Saturday. The delegates were comprised of senators, members of national assembly and the provincial assemblies, nazims, diplomats, industrialists, lawyers, media representatives, besides the senior officers from civil services as well as all the three armed forces. The Governor parried a number of points, raised by the participants on this occasion. The realization amongst the respective people towards gravity of the problem and raising lashkars by themselves against militancy is itself a major success, he said. However, the Governor said, the things have developed over a period of almost past 30 years, especially in wake of the developments took place in the neighbouring country from time to time and will definitely take time and resources to make them fully settled down. Talking on a point, the Governor said, narco-mafia is indeed the real beneficiary of the continued instable situation in the neighbouring country and almost over $ 38 billion business in the international market is taking place on the basis of opium being cultivated in that country. Such a situation, the Governor said, is also one of the major cause of encouraging militancy in our country as well. "The militants are well funded, trained and well equipped which is not possible through normal charities", he pointed out. Therefore, the Governor said, there is need to see the things in wider perspective and take more macro outlook of the happenings in the entire region.