Independent report
PESHAWAR, November 11: Chairman of the Area Development Council Engineer Shaukatullah and Deputy Chairman Malik Khan Marjan have welcomed the decision allowing 18,000 internally displaced people from Tirah Valley in Khyber district to return to their ancestral areas.
In a joint statement, Engineer Shaukatullah said displaced families had been waiting for a long time to return to their homes and had repeatedly raised the issue with the relevant authorities.
He said local elders and affected families had also highlighted the demand during a visit to Khyber district, following which the Area Development Council took up the matter with the concerned authorities.
He said sustained efforts and coordination had resulted in permission being granted to 18,000 people to return to Tirah, describing the development as a positive step for affected families.
The chairman said the council was committed to highlighting the problems of tribal communities before relevant institutions and playing an effective role in resolving them.
Deputy Chairman Malik Khan Marjan said progress on longstanding issues of tribal communities reflected the role of the new administrative and development system.
He said affected families had requested that at least one member from each family be allowed to return to look after their vacant homes and arrange food and other necessities for livestock left behind.
He added that public-oriented decisions would strengthen the confidence of local communities in the Area Development Secretariat and the Area Development Council.
Both leaders reiterated their commitment to continued coordination with relevant institutions for resolving tribal communities’ problems, rehabilitating displaced families and promoting peace and development in the region.
