Rs 24 b for rehabilitation of Malakand IDPs: Bilour

PESHAWAR : NWFP Senior Minister, Bashir Ahmad Bilour Monday said that government has reserved an amount of Rs. 24 billion for rehabilitation of operation hit Malakand division. Talking to newsmen at Charsadda after seeing off repatriating IDPs to their homeland, Bashir Bilour said the amount of Rs. 24 billion would be provided by the center to provincial government in four installments. Bashir Bilour said after completion of return of IDPs, government would start work on rehabilitation of Malakand division. The Malakand division would be made as a model division in the province, Bilour added. He said in order to ensure lasting peace in the area, government would double the number of Police force. Similarly, he added, Frontier Corps and Frontier Constabulary would be strengthened in the region. Bashir Bilour said the number of tehsils would be increased to seven from the existing two. Similarly, the number of police stations would also be enhanced. The government, he added, would appoint 2500 retired armed personnel to form a special security force in the area. Similarly, 7000 persons would be recruited from communities under the Community Policing Programme for Malakand division. In response to a question about setting up of Army Cantonement in Swat, Bilour said land is being searched for this purpose. He said presence of Army in Malakand division is necessary unless lasting peace is ensured and the region is purged from militants.