Daily Times

Alhaj Shah Jee Gul Afridi is an independent candidate from the tribal belt of Khyber Agency and is leading the journey of Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) reforms inside parliament as well convincing masses over the reforms process.

On January 1, 2018, we interviewed him inside the Parliament Lodges to seek his stance on FATA reforms saga.

Afridi said FATA reforms were necessary in 1947 after the independence of Pakistan as there is no country in the world where two systems or laws can be implemented at the same time and a country that considers its own territory as (land of lawless), but Pakistan have, and thus the impact of FATA conflict hurting the whole country and the south Asia.

He said that only the incumbent government but the previous government as well as members of FATA were responsible for this blunder as they remained failed to focus on the crumbling issue.

He said that three committees were formed for FATA in the past but no one ever dared to implement changes. But after the deadly attack on the Army Public School, FATA reforms were made part of the National Action Plan (NAP). “I told to the then chief of army staff and the ousted prime minister that without FATA reforms nothing fruitful could be achieved to restore peace in country and then reforms committee was formed under Sartaj Aziz to get opinions of FATA people for the constitutional changes in the territory.

The committee visited seven FATA agencies and wasted millions of rupees but the opponents remained silent at that time. However, they (opponents) have started making hue and cry after the committee head submitted a report on FATA merger. Opponents of FATA merger have become active to sabotage the reforms process, which are in last stage.

When asked if the merger was the only viable solution to FATA problems, Afridi said some opponents were arguing that if GB could become a separate council then why not FATA. He said that there were some hurdles in tribal areas because the agencies were not linked with each other. “Mohmand dependency is on Shabqadar, Khyber on Peshawar, South and North Waziristan on Banu and DI Khan and Kurram and Orakzai on Kohat and Bajaur on Dir.” FATA has neither infrastructure nor governor’s house… there is no chain of universities and health centres, which increase its dependency on Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and that is the best available option.

He supported his stance by saying: “If the governor’s house is established in South Waziristan how a citizen living in Bajaur Agency will be comfortable with this option because there is a lot of distance between these two areas. Establishing a province needs a lot of resources and we have nothing yet so it will take 10 to 15 years to establish infrastructure. So FATA’s merger into KP is the best solution.”

We get our vehicles registered in Peshawar as well give revenue to KP because we have no status. KP shares no international border with any foreign country but after the merger KP will become the second biggest province of the country and it will be connected, through Durand Line, not only with Afghanistan but with central Asia, which will leave far-reaching impact on the economy.

When asked if FATA could be granted status of a province or not, he said that the president has the authority to merge any tribal area into KP under Article 247 of the constitution. However, legislation will be required to grant it the status of the province, which is not possible in the near future, as it is a time-taking process.

“Constitutional amendments are required to grant FATA the status of province but it is not possible, as the next general election nears by and tribesmen are eager for merger to contest election for KP Assembly.

Referring to the impact of KP-FATA merger on Durand Line, he said: “I don’t believe that Durand Line issue will be sparked after the merger. Before partition tribesmen were nationals of Afghanistan but after the Indo-Pak partition they have become Pakistani citizens.”

He added, “I had visited many areas of Afghanistan and met governors of several Afghan provinces to discuss the FATA status with them. The Balkh governor told me that they have no reservation. ‘It is the choice of FATA people if they want a merge with KP or not’.”

When asked about the reservations of Fazlur Rehman and Mahmood Khan Achakzai on the merger, he replied: “It’s quite strange… both leaders have no physical relation with FATA but still they have reservations over this decision. Maulana will lose economy through which his party has been doing politics since 1979. FATA people lack political vision due to the draconian law and they cast their ballots on religious idioms. In 2002, they voted Maulana’s comrades but he lost his vote bank due to bloodbath of Pashtoon on both sides of the Durand Line that’s why he (Maulana) wanted to gain that vote bank through this propaganda. Mahmood Khan Achakzai wants to become popular in Afghanistan because they have benefits on both side of the Durand Line. Also the tribal elders are getting privileges from this system from political admins as well from FATA Secretariat so these three actors’ future economy is in danger that’s why they want to make this area hostile to safeguard their interest. But FATA people are now aware and will counter all conspiracies being hatched by opponents.”

Responding to a question that what would be the impact of a referendum in FATA, Afridi said, “Referendum has no chance, as most of the people have decided merger of FATA into KP. Only a handful of people want to delay the reform process by demanding referendum for their personal gains.”

When asked why the FATA Bill was dropped from the agenda of the last session of the National Assembly, he said that the government was pressurised from Maulana Fazlur Rehman and Achakzai that was why it dropped the bill from the agenda.

When asked about the impact of FATA merger on relations with Afghanistan and transit trade, he said that the merger would leave a good impact on the economy. “When FATA was not much hostile the transit-trade of Pakistan and Afghanistan crossed $5 million but now after the insurgency the trade reached $1.5 million. Also the Afghan government would not accuse Pakistan of harbouring terrorists in FATA after its mainstreaming. Moreover, the relations will go friendly, which will reduce space for India in Afghanistan and we will be provided with enhanced access to central Asian states for trade.”

At the end, he said: “Opposition and we have decided not to be part of the National Assembly session if FATA bill is not included in its agenda. He said that the merger journey would be continued and soon the supreme court and high court will be extended to FATA, which will be the first step of mainstreaming FATA.

Published in Daily Times, January 4^th 2018.