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PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mohammad Sohail Afridi said tribal areas were deliberately kept underdeveloped in the past and attempts were still being made by certain elements to deprive the region of rights.
“We will not allow this to continue,” the chief minister said during meeting with delegations comprising tribal elders and community leaders from Khyber district at Chief Minister’s House here on Saturday evening.
An official statement said that the meeting discussed public service delivery, law and order and a forward-looking development strategy. The delegations also presented proposals aimed at ensuring sustainable development and long-term prosperity in the district, it added.
Talking to members of the delegations, the chief minister reaffirmed that provincial government was vigorously pursuing the financial case of the province, particularly of tribal districts at all relevant forums. He said that continued fiscal inequities would not be tolerated.
Afridi announces Rs1,000bn uplift package for merged districts in upcoming ADP
He stated that former Federally Administered Tribal Areas were integrated administratively but their financial integration remained incomplete. He said that under the current National Finance Commission (NFC) framework, resource distribution effectively covered only three and a half provinces, with merged districts not receiving their due constitutional share, a situation which was inconsistent with constitutional principles.
He said that alongside political engagement, provincial government remained steadfast to strengthening governance and accelerating development, with all available resources being directed towards public welfare.
Mr Afridi directed relevant authorities to ensure that compensation commitments made with displaced people from Tirah were materialised within the coming week, emphasising that no negligence or delay would be tolerated in that regard.
He stated that if the federal government failed to honour its commitments, the province reserved the constitutional right to protest.
During the meeting, a comprehensive review of ongoing development initiatives was undertaken, particularly in the sectors of road infrastructure, health, education, employment and other priority areas.
The chief minister stated that an amount of Rs1,375 billion remained outstanding under NFC share for merged districts. He said that at the time of merger, federal government had committed to providing Rs100 billion annually for merged districts, however, over the past seven years, only Rs168 billion had been released, leaving Rs532 billion unpaid.
He said that federal government had to clear Rs4,758 billion outstanding amount in various heads to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The chief minister announced that a comprehensive development package, worth Rs1,000 billion for merged districts, had been finalised and would be incorporated in the upcoming Annual Development Programme (ADP). He added that the package encompassed all sectors and districts, ensuring that no area was left behind.
He stated that funds would be allocated for Bara Dam in the next fiscal year while work on Khyber Industrial Zone was under way. He said that the longstanding issue of Jabba Dam had been resolved.
He said that efforts were under way to resolve the matter of Regi Lalma in consultation with tribal elders, ensuring that community interests were fully safeguarded.
The chief minister said that people of Tirah were forcibly displaced, yet when the provincial government allocated Rs4 billion for their welfare, it was met with unwarranted criticism. He said that purchase of a luxury aircraft worth Rs11 billion for the chief minister of Punjab faced no questioning whatsoever, reflecting clear double standards.
He said that work was under way on Tirah development package in consultation with elected representatives.
Published in Dawn, March 30th, 2026
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