PESHAWAR: Like all state-sponsored visits of dignitaries to the underdeveloped Fata these days, the series of trips by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governor also seem to be all about optics than impact.

The journalists invited to cover such visits are piled into a waiting helicopter for the governor.

A visit lasts few hours only.

The Russian-made `MI171` carrying the governor and media persons landed at a helipad inside a paramilitary base in Pasheth, Bajaur Agency. A group of elders holding garlands have lined up at the helipad to receive the governor.

An endless line of tribal people wait with their long lists of troubles, perhaps hoping for a miracle they should have stopped thinking about a long time ago.

As one would expect in case of Fata`s many afflictions,not much getsresolved in the short visit and we are all trooping back to the helicopter, following the governor.

Should he, the representative of the federal government dealing with tribal areas, not stay there longer? What do these short visits, coming after many months with a lot of fanfare and expense, really deliver? Take this week visit of Governor Sardar Mahtab Ahmad Khan to Bajaur Agency, for example.

The bumpy road from helipad to the fortress like villa of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz MNA Shahabuddin Khan passes through bazaar of Pasheth, where the governor addressed a selected gathering of elders. The shopkeepers in the small bazaar of Pasheth had been directed to keep shutters down apparently for security reasons.

After attending the ceremony in Pasheth the chopper left for Khar,regional headquarters of Bajaur Agency and the flying machine landed inside fort of Bajaur Scouts, which is a red zone.

The locality houses offices and residential quarters for the officers of administration, paramilitary forces and interment center is out of bound for common tribal people. Sardar Mahtab addressed students and teachers of the Frontier Corps School inside the base.

Then he was taken to the compound of the political agent where around 500 elders and Maliks were stuffed in main hall waiting for the governor`s address.

Elders and Maliks who are in good book of the political authorities are honoured to hear address.

Two or three elders read out welcome address approved by the political agent and also presented few demands like construction of roads, education, health facilities etc.

And then the governor started his speech. Like his predecessors he also narrated the old mantra by declaring tribal people unpaid soldiers of the western border and courageous, and highlighting their role in 1948 war with India and sacrifices in the war against terrorism.

The governor is very active and takes personalinterests in the affairs of the tribal area. He is probably the first governor who has visited entire Fata in such a short period.

But this brief sojourn of the governor may not enough to understand issues and problems facing tribal folks. These ceremonial engagements inside official compounds and briefings are insufficient to address core issues like health, education, injustice and mutual disputes of the tribal people.

Being agent of the president, the office of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governor is responsible for day-to-day affairs of Fata. After 18th amendmentto the Constitution, the governor has now less significant role in the affairs of the province.

Under the Constitution, the tribal belt is the governor`s constituency.

Ironically, the governor spends time in the Governor`s House, Peshawar. His administrative secretariats and directors dealing with development and financial and administrative matters always shuttle between the Governor`s House and their respective offices instead of spending time in Fata.

Well furnished cottages have been built for the governor in every tribal agency and he can use them as camp offices to have direct interaction with the communities. He can invite diplomats and foreign dignitaries to the tribal agencies instead of meeting them in Peshawar.

This agent of the president should spend time inside Fata, visit villages, schools, colleges, hospitals and offices instead of going there only for addressing ceremonial jirgas, which have little or no impact.

Women are around 50 per cent of the total tribal population who have no access to or representation in jirga. If the governor could not interact with women directly due to cultural sensitivities, then his wife can play a role in this regard.

Time has changed and so have the needs and demands of tribal people.

Hospitals, schools and other offices in tribal agencies are in shambles. There is serious administrative vacuum in entire Fata. The governor`s personal presence in tribal agencies can give strength to the demoralised political agents and their staff.

Sardar Mahtab should break decades-old status quo and go beyond the compound of political agents otherwise his visits will prove to be a futile exercise.