|
|
|
| August 27, 2005 | Saturday | Rajab 21, 1426 |
Basic changes in FCR urged
LANDI KOTAL (Khyber Agency), Aug 26: Speakers at a gathering in Jamrud tehsil on Friday demanded basic changes in the British-era Frontier Crimes Regulation (FCR) and called for respecting basic human rights of the tribal people.
The gathering of tribal elders and political, social and religious leaders was organised in connection with the 10-member FCR Amendment Committee’s visit to the tribal areas to ascertain view point of common tribesmen. The committee begin its fact-finding tour from Mohmand Agency on Wednesday.
About two dozen speakers presented recommendations to the committee headed by former Justice Muhammad Ajmal Mian. The speakers were unanimous in their demand for bringing about changes in sections 11, 14, 21, 31, 34 and 40 of the FCR.
These controversial sections, they said, pertained to the powers of political authorities to appoint jirgas for settling civil and criminal cases and securing arrest of tribesmen under the collective territorial responsibility.
The speakers alleged that political authorities in all the seven tribal agencies were misusing these powers to curb dissenting voices.
A Kukikhel elder, Malik Guli Shah, and a representative of JUI, however, demanded replacement of the FCR with Shariat laws. They claimed that almost all tribal people were in favour of implementation of Islamic laws.
Asad Afridi Advocate recommended to the committee that the powers of political administration regarding appointment of jirgas should be given to the Agency Council in order to make the Jirga more democratic. He demanded that Article 247 be amended and powers to amend tribal laws should be given to the parliament instead of the President.
Dr Nusrat pointed out that authoritative use of collective territorial responsibility clause by the political authorities had adversely affected financial status of the concern tribesmen.
Elaborating his point of view he alleged that if a crime occurred in the vicinity of a tribe, the political authorities sealed its business concern and impounded its vehicles.
Bazar Gul Afridi dispelled the impression that FCR was in accordance with the aspirations and traditions of tribal people. He also disagreed with the claim that FCR was happily accepted by tribal elders. He said the law was imposed on pukhtoons in order to curb their rights and to keep them under subjugation.
TAXI STAND ISSUE: Shinwari elders and councillors on Friday announced to boycott all official meetings after the local administration sent fifteen taxi drivers, arrested on Wednesday for an attempt to block the Torkhum highway, to central prison Peshawar.
|
|
|
|
