Share this story!            

Law to replace FCR soon: Naik

* Law minister says draft of FATA Regulations will be sent to Presidency for approval

By Muhammad Bilal

ISLAMABAD: The government is to replace the FATA Crimes Regulations (FCR) with new legislation in the form of the FATA Regulations, Federal Law Minister Farooq Naik said on Thursday.

“We are replacing the FCR with the FATA Regulations. The draft of the law is in final stages and it will be forwarded to the president for approval this month,” he told reporters after a meeting at Parliament House. Naik said that a cabinet committee that was established to replace the FCR had almost completed its job. He said parliament could not play any role in the affairs of the FATA, adding that the president could only amend laws and promulgate ordinances for the Tribal Areas.

“There is no need to present the committee’s draft to the parliament. It will be directly forwarded to the president for his approval,” he said. Naik said the cabinet committee had proposed a tribunal headed by retired judge of a high court. “It will be a three-member tribunal headed by a retired judge of the high court. The other two members will be from the FATA secretariat,” he added.

The minister said the new law would allow people to approach the tribunal if they were not satisfied with the verdict of a political agent. He added the FCR clause that advocated collective punishment under the rule of collective responsibility would now also be abolished. Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani had announced after taking vote of confidence that the government would introduce reforms in the Tribal Areas.

Home | National

Share this story!