Peshawar:
The main secretary of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Shahab Ali Shah, announced Thursday that the provincial government has approved RS2 billion for the rehabilitation of people affected by the operation ongoing in Bajaur.
In statements to the media at the Ceremony of the Flag of Independence Day in the Civil Secretariat, Shahab said that the operation in Bajaur is an intelligence campaign, not a large -scale military offensive, aimed at cleaning the area of terrorist elements and restoring peace.
He said that security forces are cleaning houses along the roads in the affected areas and that displaced residents may return soon. “Wherever government measures are taken against terrorists, some local people have to temporarily relocate for their own security,” he said, added that the government is taking all possible measures to guarantee their protection and provide assistance.
The main secretary said that the provincial cabinet has already sanctioned RS2 billion to facilitate the immediate rehabilitation of those affected so that their difficulties are facilitated and normal life can be resumed quickly.
Answering a question, Shahab said a meeting with the local jirga and administration to discuss ways to restore normality was held. “The terrorists who have come to the fused districts are here for a meaningless war. Wherever they operate, trade, education and all normal activities stop. His work is to attack, and the work of the police and the security forces is to protect,” he said.
He pointed out that the current situation in the merged districts is largely the result of the indirect effects of a neighboring country, but emphasized that the provincial government and security agencies are determined, through mutual cooperation, to establish lasting peace.
