Cadet College Opened in Mohmand Agency

Kashmir Khan Afridi

Publishing Date: Wednesday, March 2 2005

NWFP Governor Syed Iftikhar Hussain Shah Tuesday inaugurated Mohmand Cadet College in Ghazi Baig, tehsil Haleemzai here the second of its nature in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata). The college will be constructed on a vast area of about 77.5 acres of land and would be completed in two phases. It will become functional after the completion of first phase, which will cost Rs 115.962 million, while the total cost has been, estimated Rs 348.588 million.

In the first phase, the construction of academic, administration and hostel blocks would be focused to make the institution once operational, an official said. While, during the second phase, playgrounds, hospital, mosque, market and auditorium would be constructed, the official added. Addressing on the occasion, the governor made it clear that the British-formulated Frontier Crimes Regulations (FCR) would definitely be amended as per the wishes of tribal elected representatives and local people.

"The British-made laws have to go and the system to be changed. It is the right of the tribesmen and elected representatives to recommend changes in it in accordance with the tribal laws and traditions," Iftikhar said while responding to a demand of Senator Hameedullah Jan Afridi. who drawn governor's attention towards the ministries of SAFRON and Law were bent upon introducing reforms in Fata without having any knowledge of the area. Fata parliamentarians, agency councillors, political agents of all the tribal agencies except South Waziristan and a large number of tribal chieftains were also pre-sent on the occasion.

The governor admitted that some circles were still opposing reforms in the tribal areas. "There are some people who don't want to bring socio-economic changes in Fata as their vested interests are linked with the old system," he said while referring to bureaucracy. He said the government was bent to develop Fats, adding establishment of agency councils was one of the steps. "We want to' bring changes in the most neglected tribal areas, but it cannot be brought overnight," he said and added "no society can make progress until and unless the power of decision making is notconferred to it."

'We have given power of decision making to the tribesmen by establishing agency councils," Iftikhar maintained. In the second phase, he said, it was in the offing to either allocate seats for Rata in the NWFP Assembly or to establish a separate agency council for them but "first let you show your performances," the governor asked the tribesmen. Speaking about the college, he said it has not been constructed only for Mohmand Agency but for the whole tribal belt. He hoped the college would open a new and pleasant chapter in the history of Fata and would bring positive changes in the social life. He said changes could not be brought by force. Education is the best option in this regard, he added.

 

The governor informed that PC-I of the project has been completed and it would be sent to the federal government soon, but he told: "We can make It functional without any support'. MNA Maulana Ghulam Muhammad Sadiq, Senator Hameedullah Jan Afridi, MNA Munir Aurakzai and political agent Mohmand Agency Sahibzada Anis also addressed the gathering on the occasion.

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