PESHAWAR: Rejecting altogether the recommendations of FATA Reforms Committee (FRC), the elders from various tribal agencies, have demanded an independent and elected FATA Legislative Council to decide the future of tribal region. Addressing a news conference at press club, Malik Khan Marjan, a tribal elder and Chief of FATA Grand Alliance said the FATA Reforms Committee not consulted the tribal elders, before the presentation of its proposals regarding reforms in FATA. He asked that an independent and elected FATA Legislative Council should decide the future of the tribal people, instead of few elected people, sitting in upper house of the parliament. He cautioned the new issues would be raised due to wrong recommendations of the FRC. “If the government has wish to bring true reforms in Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata), then it must hold consultation with tribal elders”, Marjan said, adding that tribesmen want education, health and other basic facilities, like people in other parts of the country are enjoying. Flanked by elders from various tribal agencies including, Malik Faizur Rehman, Malik Naib Khan, Malik Abdul Razaq, Malik Attaullah, Malik Bahadur Shah, Malik Marwaiz Khan, and others, Marjan said FATA Grand Alliance has fully supported the reforms in tribal region. But, he warned that if any attempt was made to impose decisions against the wishes of tribal people, it would be strongly resisted. “We are highly favoured to bring changes in draconian Frontier Crime Regulation (FCR) Act, imposed on people of FATA, which is imperative under the current circumstances in the tribal region, Marjan said. Instead of following framework proposed by the reforms committee, he suggested FATA legislative council should be formed with the task to make legislation within one-year, to prepare line of action regarding status of FATA. He said Governor, FATA Secretariat and Political Administration should be held accountable to the FATA council. Criticizing the government for spending billions of rupees on mass transport service in Lahore, and Islamabad, he asked to announce a hefty package of Rs 1000 billion to initiate mega development projects related to health, education and other social sectors in FATA. The alliance chief further demanded of the government to resume the scholarship programme of tribal students. He asked the discretionary funds of FATA Parliamentarians, should be diverted for mega development projects in the tribal region. He further urged the Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Army Chief, General Raheel Sharif to give ownership rights to those people whose shops and markets demolished, while a hefty compensation package should be announced for damaged houses in various tribal agencies. He also sought that the FATA should be linked with multi-billion dollar Pakistan China Economic Corridor (CPEC) project.