12 April 2004	Monday	21 Safar 1425

PESHAWAR, April 11:A leader of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas chapter ofJamaat-i-Islami on Sunday rejected claims of the political authorities about big development schemes being undertaken in tribal agencies.

Speaking at a news conference at the Peshawar Press Club, the party's MNA from Bajaur agency, Haroonur Rasheed, said tribesmen had been fighting against natural calamities and oppressive laws since the British rule.

He said the tribesmen had demanded the setting up of elected councils at the and Fata level, which should be responsible for the smooth running of affairs in the region. The tribesmen would not allow the government to nominate its hand-picked maliks on elected forums, he said.

He said that the formation of elected tribal councils was the only alternative to the existing political system based on corruption and coercion. He said the councils should be vested with the powers being exercised by the political agents and administration.

He said that after the tribal Jirga held by the Jamaat-i-Islami here, the government had to change its hawkish stance against the tribesmen. "We have asked the government to find a peaceful solution to the crisis. The 52-member government-sponsored jirga will fail to solve the problem unless it is empowered to hold meaningful talks with the angry tribesmen," he said.