HC Deb 07 March 1935 vol 298 cc2147-8W
Mr. G. NICHOLSON

asked the Secretary of State for India whether he will provide a table showing the total expenditure on political services in the tribal areas of the North-West Frontier Province, giving the main headings under which this expenditure can be classified?

Sir S. HOARE

I would refer my hon. Friend to pages 358–363 of the Finance and Revenue Accounts of the Government of India for 1932–33, a copy of which is in the Library.

Mr. NICHOLSON

asked the Secretary of State for India whether he will publish a table showing the area of and estimated population and number of rifles in each of the tribal areas in the North-West Frontier Province?

Sir S. HOARE

The following is the information asked for so far as it is available:

Agencies. Area in square miles. Estimated population in 1931.
Malakand (Dir, Swat and Chitral). 11,383 902,075
Khyber 962 263,566
Kurram 739 63,352
North Waziristan 5,218 (including Bhittanni). 108,213
South Waziristan
Tribal area under the Political Control of the Deputy Commissioner of:
Hazara 352,400
Peshawar 2,299 305,410
Kohat 1,493 128,900
Bannu (Bhittanni) 22,160
Dera Ismail Khan 744 19,642
22,838 2,259,288

It is estimated that there are about 200,000 breech-loading and about 25,000 muzzle-loading rifles in the possession of the tribes.