[DAWN] The federal government and international donor agencies showing disregard to the homeless and economically deprived families from Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) have launched development projects that don't serve the people's basic needs.In background interviews senior functionaries dealing with the recovery and rehabilitation activities in Fata expressed reservations about the priorities set for implementing projects sponsored by the Multi Donor Trust Fund (MDTF).
Officials said that the major objective of MDTF was restoration of damaged infrastructure and disrupted services in Fata besides provision of basic amenities to affected communities.
However,
a lie repeated often enough remains a lie...
the project implementing agencies of MDTF, according to the official sources, have been focusing more on areas that do not directly cater to the affected communities' basic needs, including housing, water sanitation and economic rehabilitation.
"People are desperate for getting tents and other basic amenities in Fata while money received under the MDTF is being spent on holding seminars abroad and provision of digital equipment for offices in Beautiful Downtown Peshawar
...capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (formerly known as the North-West Frontier Province), administrative and economic hub for the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan. Peshawar is situated near the eastern end of the Khyber Pass, convenient to the Pak-Afghan border. Peshawar has evolved into one of Pakistan's most ethnically and linguistically diverse cities, which means lots of gunfire.
," remarked one officer.
The sources said that over 30,000 displaced persons had been sent back to Tirah Valley of Khyber Agency in October this year without providing them with tents and material required for construction of temporary shelters.