PESHAWAR: The federal government has not fulfilled its commitment to allocate Rs 500 billion for the development of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s tribal districts over the last five years, falling significantly short of its pledge.
Documents from the KP Planning and Development Department reveal that only Rs 143.40 billion, or 28% of the promised funds, has been invested in these areas during this period. Under the Tribal Decade Strategy, the government had committed to providing Rs 100 billion annually for five years to facilitate development in these districts. Yet, the actual expenditure has been much lower than anticipated.
The breakdown of the funds shows that Rs 117.10 billion was spent under the Accelerated Development Program, and Rs 26.30 billion under the Merged Districts Development Program, totaling Rs 143.40 billion spent, a stark contrast to the initially promised Rs 500 billion.
The tribal districts, integrated into KP in 2018, have long suffered from inadequate funding, which has impeded their development. The promised funds were intended to address poverty, and improve infrastructure, healthcare, and education in what were formerly known as the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). However, the significant shortfall in funding has perpetuated these issues.
Despite appeals from the KP government, the federal authorities have yet to release the remaining funds. This ongoing financial gap poses a serious challenge to the development prospects of the tribal districts.
