Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Legislators in the Lower House of the Parliament on Friday stressed on the government not to take any decision in haste for changing the status of Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) because it was a sensitive issue and it may create havoc if any decision was taken against the will of the tribal people.

However, every member in the assembly was of the view that FATA should be brought at the mainstream so that it may develop in the coming times. Corruption was at its peak in all offices relating to FATA and billions of rupees of the development budget could not reach grassroots level. Some parliamentarians were of the view that there were international agreements over FATA, its status and composition, and changing its status would create international problems for Pakistan.

There were injustices with tribal people in many aspects. The parliamentarians suspended routine agenda and start discussion over FATA Reform Committee Report. Taking part in the discussion, the PTI Qaisar Jamal said there was massive corruption in the development budget of FATA. Schools, colleges and basic infrastructure were totally destroyed. Currently, the tribal IDPs rehabilitation was big challenge for the government and any decision taken in haste to merge FATA with KP might deteriorate the situation further.

He suggested that there should be accountability in the FATA budget. JUI-F legislator Mohammad Jamaluddin opposed the merging of FATA with KPK, saying a majority of people demanded formation of a separate province. He also suggested that efforts should be made for return of tribal IDPs in Afghanistan and also stressed that it was important for public representatives to be included in the FATA Reform Committee.

Pukhtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party (PMAP) chief Mehmood Khan Achakzai questioned why FATA issue was brought at a time of national emergency. He regretted that the war against terror was brought to FATA areas and claimed that Pathans were never terrorists. He claimed that the committee had contacted very few tribal people. Therefore, the recommendations of the report should not be considered as final.

He also claimed that before merging the Swat state in to Pakistan, education was free there, better health facilities were provided and it was like a welfare state. However, after its inclusion in Pakistan, the situation instead of improving declined sharply. He also claimed that there was some international agreement between Pakistan and Afghanistan over the status of FATA. If the government wanted to change its status, it might create problems for Pakistan.

PTI’s Dr Shiree Mazari was of the view that the intention was to bring FATA in the mainstream of the development process and rejected the theory that it might create some international issue. The PTI MNA Shehryar Afridi requested that a step motherly attitude not be adopted with tribal areas and not to compare the tribal areas with Kashmir, because anti-Pakistan sentiment has never been witnessed in FATA.

The legislators offered Fateha for the departed souls of military personnel, Juma Khan and Imtiaz who were martyred during the firing by Indian Forces on Line of Control (LoC). On the request of Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, Maulana Qamar ud din led the Fateha. He prayed for the rest of departed souls in eternal peace and courage to the bereaved families to bear the loss with equanimity.