February 6, 2006	Monday	Muharram 7, 1427

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PESHAWAR, Feb 5: The Awami National Party has convened a tribal jirga at the Bacha Khan Markaz on February 11 to discuss the Frontier Crimes Regulations.

The decision to convene the jirga was taken at a meeting which was attended by ANP office-bearers from tribal agencies and members of the party’s tribal committee, including Afrasiab Khattak, Abdul Latif Afridi, Shahabuddin and Imran Afridi on Saturday.

The meeting said that Frontier Crimes Regulation was a black law, which deprived the people of tribal agencies and the Frontier Regions (FR) of their political rights. It said that the FCR, which was framed by the colonial rulers to supress the tribesmen, was unjust and against the Constitution of the country.

The meeting expressed concern that thousands of innocent tribesmen, including women, children and elderly people were languishing in different jails under the FCR. It said that under the FCR tribesmen had been deprived of their right to appeal against the decision of the tribal court, in which political administrators pronounce verdicts.

They also expressed concern over the ongoing military operation in the Federally-Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) and said that they would continue their struggle against the illegal operation in their region.

The participants of the meeting expressed concern over the killing of innocent tribesmen in the garb of war on terrorism.

They said that tribesmen were in the habit rendering sacrifices for the integrity and solidarity of the country and would continue to defend the country against foreign forces.

The ANP office-bearers from the tribal agencies were urged to attend the jirga on Saturday.