NWFP... The forgotten paradise

The North West Frontier Province is the third largest province in term of population with a land area of about 74521 (sq km), administratively divided into 24 districts with 55 urban localities. The province has a total of 20.86 million populations with 83% and 17% rural-urban distribution respectively. The most impoverished rural population divided into 7335 rural localities with a very low per capita income has agriculture as major occupation.

The tribal belt with land area of about 27220 sq km divided into 9 agencies is referred as Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). These are border mountainous areas of NWFP with total population of about 3.68 millions having only 3% in urban localities.

Most of the population are poor and have a limited access to basic health facilities and other social services. The whole region is characterized by small scale, subsistence-oriented farming predominantly for household consumption.

Poor road infrastructure and least communication facilities, hospitals in big cities are almost inaccessible. Poor socio-economic is also a set back for this deprived human segment.