NWFP critical of PTCL performance in Swat, Buner

Tweet Pin It ABDUL QADOOS PESHAWAR (June 17 2009): The NWFP government on Tuesday warned Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) against showing lethargy in the restoration of the communication facility in districts Swat and Buner, and demanded of the Federal government to issue directives to the company.
Addressing a media briefing, provincial government spokesman Mian Iftikhar Hussain said that the performance of the PTCL in rehabilitation of the communication system was not up to mark in the Swat and Buner. The provincial government, which claims clearance of the majority areas of Swat, Buner and Dir Lower of the militants, has directed the utility companies for the rehabilitation of their services, destroyed either by militants or military operation.
The government also directed the government employees to report to the District Co-ordination Officers (DCOs) of three districts. However, in the first instance, the provincial government directed the Pesco and PTCL for the restoration of their services in the area.
The spokesman said that Peshawar Electricity Supply Company (Pesco) had completed estimates of the losses of the installation in Swat, Dir Lower and Buner and equipment had also been released from depot of the power distribution company in Nowshera.
The staff of the power company would leave for Buner through Mardan to repair damaged power system in the district. However, he said that the main supply would be restored from Chakdara, district Lower Dir, to the three districts. The total power restoration would take three to four days.
At present, four generators had been provided for carrying out official work in the districts, he added. Mian Iftikhar Hussein, who is also the Provincial Information Minister, castigated the performance of the PTCL, saying that was below the expectation. Therefore, he said they once demand of the Federal government and the ministry concerned to resolve the problem according to the wishes of the people.
Taking exception to the statements of the opposition parties, he said that Federal government had sanctioned Rs 50 billion for the relief and rehabilitation of the internally displaced persons (IDPs). He said that the pledges, made by different countries and donor agencies, would be considered, and urged the Federal government to hand over all the amounts received from international community.
The provincial government, he said, had spent Rs 339.725 million on provision of medical and other facilities to the displaced persons. About the military operation in Swat, he claimed that the security forces had completed search operation in Godand, Banda and Arkot areas of Swat, and now in control of the Aligrama area and search operation was continuing in Matta.
He said that the provincial government was satisfied with the operation of the security forces against the militants, and urged the security forces to make their operations more effective.
The minister further said that since there was no law of children adoption in the country, so no welfare organisation or generous people would be allowed to adopt IDPs' children and orphans. He said that the Social Welfare Department of the provincial government had established a shelter house for such children. Regarding the number of IDPs, he said that the number of registered IDPs had been exceeded 3.9 million.