PESHAWAR, Feb 6: The Fata Lawyers Forum on Friday called upon the government to establish a separate assembly for the tribal region and declare it the fifth federating unit of the country.

The forum demanded that the status of the member of the assembly for Fata should be that of a member of provincial assembly and that unit should also be given share in the NFC award. The demands were made at a meeting of the forum held under its president Abdul Karim Mahsud.

The meeting urged the federal government to amend the colonial-era FCR in accordance with the wishes of the people of the tribal area. The participants regretted that the tribal people had not been taken into confidence over the proposed reforms in Fata and amendments to the FCR. They also called for separating the judiciary from the executive in the tribal areas.

Through a unanimously-adopted resolution, the meeting urged centre to restore peace in tribal areas. The participants demanded that the government should announce ceasefire with militants and resolve the issue through dialogue.—Bureau Report