Monday, July 20, 2009

Militancy caused Rs22 billion loss, says NWFP minister

ISLAMABAD: NWFP Information Minister Mian Iftikhar Hussain says the government has suffered a loss of Rs22 billion because of militancy and the military operation against Taliban.

According to a private television channel, the minister said relief camps had been set up from Lundaki to Mingora for people returning to Swat and Buner.

He said that more than 170,000 cards had been distributed by Nadra through banks to enable displaced families to receive rations and cash promised by the government.

He said the NWFP government had set up an authority for effective implementation of the rehabilitation policy.

The minister said the IDPs were returning to Swat and Buner in large numbers and the government was now focusing on their rehabilitation.

He said there was need for a separate department to look after the mammoth task of rehabilitation.

He said the government would set up steering committees at the provincial and divisional levels to approve and supervise development programmes.

The minister said that a strategic oversight council headed by the prime minister and including NWFP governor and chief minister would be formed to ensure complete transparency in the rehabilitation.

He said that a divisional security and coordination council would also be formed with the commissioner, DIG, DCO and DPO as members to maintain the government’s writ in areas cleared of militants.

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