PESHAWAR, Jan 31: Rejecting appointment of retired bureaucrats from settled districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as members of the Frontier Crimes Regulation Tribunal, lawyers from the semi-autonomous region on Tuesday warned that they would move the court if the government didn’t post qualified tribesmen to the said positions within the next fortnight.Fata Lawyers Forum (FLF) president Ijaz Mohmand told a news conference at Peshawar Press Club that besides challenging the FCR Tribunal appointments in the court, lawyers could also launch a movement for the replacement of the governor over illegal move.

“Appointment of retired bureaucrats as members of FCR Tribunal is in violation of a Supreme Court decision. If our demands aren’t met, then the government will have to face the case,” he said.

Mr Mohmand alleged that the governor was least bothered about problems faced by tribesmen.

He said FCR Tribunal had been formed in line with the recent amendments to the black law of FCR and locals had attached great expectations to it but the governor ignored them while making appointments to it.

“We repeatedly requested the governor that qualified tribesmen be appointed members of the tribunal so that people face no language problem and get help for dispute resolution in line with local traditions,” he said.

The FLF president said the governor, however, ignored the demand and appointed non-tribal people to FCR Tribunal to the anger of locals.

“If he (governor) doesn’t withdraw the appointments within 15 days, lawyers will launch a movement against him besides moving the court,” he said.

Flanked by noted Fata lawyers, including Abdul Karim Mehsud, Taj Mehal Afridi and Hidayatullah Afridi, Mr Mohmand said FCR Tribunal had been established for Fata people, while members of the tribunal were appointed from settled areas to the injustice of tribesmen. He said limited legal powers had been delegated to the tribunal blocking provision of justice to the already oppressed tribesmen.

“The tribunal will be able to take decisions about habeas corpus only,” he claimed.

Fata lawyers demanded full powers for the tribunal in line with Article 199 of the Constitution so that it could speedily decide the cases and redress grievances of tribesmen.

They said FLF urged the governor to review his decision and appoint officials from Fata to FCR tribunal within 15 days and warned that if that didn’t happen, then a movement against him would be begun.

Holding placards and shouting slogans, lawyers later marched towards Governor’s House to register their protest with the governor.