LAKKI MARWAT - The PPP-led government took practical steps for women empowerment and protection of sanctity and self-respect of womenfolk in the country.
This was stated by MPA Anwar Saifullah Khan while speaking at cheques distribution ceremony at the district council hall at district headquarters complex Tajazai on Thursday.
The Benazir Income Support Program had arranged the ceremony to distribute cheque under the Waseela-e-Haq Initiative among beneficiaries.
Saifullah, who is the Chairman of District Development Advisory Committee gave away the cheques worth Rs 5.4 million to 36 beneficiaries.
On the occasion, he said that provision of small loans under the Waseela-e-Haq would help eliminate poverty and enable females to play their role in national development. He told that by bringing women into the mainstream and providing them with opportunities of working shoulder by shoulder with males would usher a new era of development.
The lawmaker said that these loans would enable female beneficiaries or their nominees to run their own business and earn livelihood through fair means. “It will also put a significant impact on socio-economic activities in the entire country,” he maintained.
He said that besides showing confidence in the Benazir Income Support Program the international organizations efforts for poverty alleviation, women empowerment and other initiatives under the programme. He informed that the government was working on a plan to introduce debit card system to enable beneficiaries to get/receive payments without facing any difficulty.
Caution against substandard construction
Meanwhile, Frontier region Lakki Assistant Political Agent Muhammad Fayyaz Khan Sherpao warned that the administration would not tolerate any delay or use of substandard construction material in uplift schemes.  He said this while paying inspection visits to the newly completed road, irrigation channels and health sector projects in Gabar, Ping Azadkhel, Kohikhula, Rasoolkhel, Adilee Koroona and Zangi areas of tribal region.
Fayyaz said that the uplift schemes had been completed at the cost of millions of rupees.
He said that government was spending huge chunk of funds on uplift works in the tribal areas to provide basic necessities of life to the tribesmen on their doorsteps.
He directed quarters concerned to accelerate pace of development as there was complete peace in the frontier tribal region.