Senate body takes note of Safron division's negligence
By Asim Hussain

ISLAMABAD—The Senate Standing Committee on States and Frontier Region which met in the Parliament House here Monday under the chairmanship of Senator Hamidullah Jan Afridi has directed SAFRON Division authorities to visit Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and physically assess the requirements for the creation of posts in various departments of FATA.
The committee noted with regret that due attention was not paid to the SNE proposals for the creation/conversion of various
posts in different departments of FATA by the SAFRON Division, says a press release issued here Monday.
The committee was informed that the Federal Government is regularlyn increasing the budget of FATA and that 15.5% increase has been made in the current year's budget.
Regarding sanctioning of additional 7000 posts for various departments of FATA, the committee was told that the approval for the creation of posts has been given, keeping in view the available financial resources.
It was assured that the request for the creation of additional posts would be duly examined, despite the fact that the government has already approved creation of 2616 posts in the current budget.
The committee pointed out that no criterion seems to have been prepared for seeking approval for the creation of various posts. There was a general consensus that education and health related vacancies should be created on top priority basis.
The chairman of the committee pointed out that a number of hospitals having the facility of operation have been setup in FATA but unfortunately necessary staff has not been provided.
It was further pointed out that hundreds of primary schools in FATA have been turned into Hujras due to lack of proper supervision.
The committee directed the SAFRON Division and the FATA secretariat to take appropriate steps to get such schools and hospitals fully operative and functional. Senators Hafiz Malik Qadri, Abdul Latif Ansari and Asfandyar Wali Khan, senior officers of the ministries of Finance, Safron and FATA secretariat were also present in the meeting.