Transparent census to help resolving merged district's issues: Senate Acting Chairman.

ISLAMABAD -- A transparent census would surely help in devising long-term planning to ultimately resolve the problems of the merged districts of erstwhile Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), said Senate Acting Chairman Mirza Muhammad

Afridi on Monday. Talking to a delegation of tribal elders led by senior parliamentarian GG Jamal and former senator Aurangzeb Khan Aurakzai at Parliament House, he said a transparent census of the merged districts was imperative for the future development process.

Acting Chairman said that a new era of development would begin in the erstwhile FATA after the census, which would also help solve the problems identified by the delegation of elders and leaders. However, he stressed that steps must be taken to ensure sustainable development. He also assured all possible cooperation to solve the problems of the newly-merged districts.

He informed the elders on the problems, social and economic difficulties, and other important issues arising after the merger of the erstwhile FATA.

Acting Chairman, while welcoming the delegation, said he himself hailed from the tribal area and tribal traditions and culture were very close to his heart.

Afridi said that the upper house always raised its voice...