ISLAMABAD: Foreign Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Muhammad Faisal on Sunday said that Pakistan rejects a statement issued by the official Afghan press agency on the merger of the tribal areas with KP.
The 31st Constitutional Amendment Bill for the merger of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) with Khyber-Pukhtunkhwa (KP) province was on Friday passed by the Upper House with an overwhelming majority.
The merger was, however, “rejected” by the official Afghan press agency Pajhwok, who said in a statement: “The government of Afghanistan rejects the decision of Pakistan Parliament for merging FATA in to KP and asked for Consensus of the people on this issue.”
Responding to the Afghan statement, the FO said that Pakistan rejects the neighbouring country’s stance on the matter as a FATA-KP merger is the will of the people of Pakistan.
“The principles of non-interference and non-intervention in the conduct of bilateral relations need be scrupulously adhered to by Afghanistan,” it was added.
On the other hand, members of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) and the Provincially Administered Tribal Areas (PATA) have expressed their reservations over the FATA merger bill which will be presented in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assembly today.
JUI-F workers, meanwhile, surrounded the KP assembly building and clashed with law enforcement in protest against the assembly considering passing the bill.