PESHAWAR, (APP – UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News – 4th Sep, 2026) Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Faisal Karim Kundi on Friday assured tribal journalists from the merged districts that their professional issues would be taken up with the federal government, announcing that awards for the families of martyred journalists would soon be introduced.
Talking to a delegation of the Tribal Union of Journalists (TUJ) from the merged districts, led by its President Hasban Ullah, at the Governor House, the Governor acknowledged the sacrifices rendered by journalists working in the former FATA, saying many had embraced martyrdom or sustained injuries while performing their professional duties in conflict-hit areas.
The delegation highlighted the challenges faced by journalists in the merged districts, including terrorism, lack of basic facilities, corruption, poor infrastructure and communication problems.
They claimed that development funds amounting to Rs 100 billion had not been properly utilized in the erstwhile FATA and called for urgent government intervention.
Governor Kundi said the merged districts had remained a war zone for many years and deserved special attention from the government. He said the media was playing a vital role in strengthening democracy and highlighting public issues.
He said the problems of Khasadar personnel and residents of the merged districts would continue to be raised at every relevant forum, adding that many powers regarding the merged districts had already been transferred to the provincial government.
The Governor said he would discuss journalists’ issues with Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar to seek practical solutions.
Referring to the planned September 27 march, Kundi said such protests would not benefit the people and stressed the need for dialogue and constitutional means to address grievances.
He also called for collective efforts to eliminate drugs from society to protect future generations, saying the fight against narcotics required the support of all segments of society.
He also stressed the importance of improving mobile phone network coverage in the merged districts, saying reliable connectivity was essential for timely receipt of Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) SMS alerts and other public services.
The Governor said the doors of the Governor House were always open to journalists and the public.
