ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Finance Ishaq Dar on Friday said that Pakistan conducted successful Operation Zarb-e-Azb at the total cost of $1.9 billion that depended upon well-coordinated efforts of all stakeholders. A Special Steering Committee meeting was held on Friday to discuss Fata’s Temporarily Displaced Persons (TDPs), Emergency Recovery Project, at the Economic Affairs Division. Speaking on the occasion, the finance minister emphasised that the success of Zarb-e-Azb depended upon the well-coordinated efforts of all stakeholders. He stated that the total cost of the operation was $1.9 billion, of which the cost of rehabilitation was $800 million; $530 million was for security enhancement and the operational cost was $270 million of which the government had disbursed half. Similarly, the government has also spent $300 million for wheat subsidy and other TDP related expenses. The minister noted that all the stakeholders, including the federal government, Fata, Safron and security forces, had worked diligently and in a coordinated manner in order to achieve the objectives of the operation for safe return of Fata TDPs. He appreciated the efforts of World Bank for financing of $75 million for cash transfer support to Fata TDPs. He directed Nadra to leave no stone unturned in preparation of software and mechanism that would pass the tests of all international standards of transparency as this was the hallmark of the government. Dar inaugurated the Operations Unit for the TDPs at the Economic Affairs Division and issued instructions that the work of return and rehabilitation of TDPs must be completed by the end of 2016 as planned.
