Daily Times

PESHAWAR: Elders of tribal areas at a Loya Jirga (Grand Assembly) urged the government to take solid steps for complete abolishment of the Frontier Crime Regulations and merge the Federally Administrated Tribal Areas into Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The Jirga was organised by Pakistan Tehrek-e-Insaaf (PTI) tribal belt chapter at the Peshawar Press Club wherein elders and a large number of tribesmen participated. Those who delivered their speeches included Haji Iqbal Afridi, chief organiser PTI Khyber Agency, Dost Mohammad Mehsood, PTI chief organiser FATA, Dur Khan, Guldad Khan, Sajid Mohmand, Malak Noor Khan, Jalaluddin, Naseer Khan, Said Ahmad Khan, Hamayun Khan while Aizaz Asif Malik, the PTI central leader, was the chief guest on the occasion.

Dost Muhammad said that tribesmen had rendered sacrifices for the sake of durable peace in the country and millions of tribal people had become Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). He said that there was no need of a referendum on the issue of FATA.

He added that more than 75 per cent Pakhtun people were living in Hazara division therefore Hazaris should not have any reservation on merging of FATA into KP. “We are Pakistani people according to the 1973 constitution of Pakistan then why a separate law is imposed on tribal people. If FCR is a good law then why not it implement into the rest of the country” he asked.

He appreciated the Political Parties Act (PPA) reforms in FCR introduced during the tenure of former president Asif Ali Zardari, but he added that the reforms were next to nil, therefore a complete abolishment of the FCR was need of the hour. Malak Aizaz said that the 2011 FCR reforms were not fully implemented in FATA. He said that when FATA became a part of KP administration it would not only boost up the economy of KP but the entire country’s economy would rise to a high level. He claimed that if PTI came into power they would merge the FATA into KP on a priority basis.

Guldad Khan said that Britain had implemented FCR in the tribal belt aimed at dividing the Pakhun nation of the region and to suppress the Pakhtuns, and not to raise a voice for their valid rights. “The Pakhtun nation today is suffering more in the current situation while injustices are being done to the tribal people” he said.

He added that they did not want reforms in the draconian FCR but a complete abolishment. “If FCR is a good system then why does it not extend to other parts of Pakistan” he asked and maintained that Article 247 was not in favour of the FATA people. He demanded of the government to give tribesmen representation in KP and introduce the local government system in the tribal areas.

He further said that if FATA merged into KP four per cent quota of job opportunities and other development works would not be enough for FATA therefore the quota should be increased to 20 per cent. Sajid said that FATA Good Governance Reforms (FGGR) was not acceptable to the tribesmen and they wanted to get rid of the current black law of FCR. He said that they would continue their protest until the fulfilment of their demands. Iqbal Afrid demanded of the government to extend the Pakistan 1973 Constitution to FATA and the easy access of tribesmen to courts.

Malak Noor said that tribal people were peaceful and not terrorists but due to the FCR’s implementation the tribesmen faced miserable conditions. He added that tribesmen had now woken up and were united for raising the voice for their rights. Jalaluddin said that all the political parties in the past did politics on the tribal areas but did nothing for FATA. He said that the PTI was the only party which had taken steps to change the fate of FATA people. Naseer Khan said that they did not want amendment in Article 247 but a complete eradication of the Article.