PESHAWAR  -  Reacting to the statement of Prime Minister Imran Khan regarding merged districts, Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) provincial chairman Sikandar Hayat Sherpao on Saturday said that PTI government did nothing for the development of the ex-FATA, which had caused despondency among the local population. 

According to a press release, he was talking to various delegations at Watan Kor. He said the government did not honour the pledges made with the people of the tribal districts at the time of merger. “It seems the government does not have any strategy or plan for the development of the tribal districts,” he added. 

Sikandar Sherpao said the government should implement the FATA reforms in letter and spirit and provide all facilities to the tribal people, who were facing a host of problems. He said the entire infrastructure was destroyed in militancy in the former tribal areas, therefore, the government should take steps on war-footing to rebuild the damaged schools and hospitals to mitigate the sufferings of the people. 

Criticising the government for failing to release the promised funds to the merged districts, the QWP leader said that promises regarding issuance of funds under the National Finance Commission award should be honoured. 

“The government had committed three percent of the funds from the NFC award and had pledges to release Rs100 billion annually for 10 years for the uplift of the merged districts,” he said, adding that the government had reneged on all pledges.