PESHAWAR: Youths from the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) have called for provision of fundamental human rights to the tribal people and abolition of the colonial era laws blatantly violating these rights.

Attending a one-day consultative seminar on “Fata Youth Policy” here on Tuesday, they said that they wanted abolition of discriminatory sections of Frontier Crimes Regulation (FCR), amendment to Article 247 of the Constitution and extension of fundamental rights incorporated in the Constitution to Fata.

Lawyers from the tribal area said that the government should separate executive from the judiciary and extend jurisdiction of the Supreme Court to Fata. The seminar brought differences of opinion on core issues between the youths and policymakers to the limelight.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Engineer Shaukatullah inaugurated the seminar, which was attended by students, professionals, academicians and officials of the Fata Secretariat. Later, the participants were divided into four groups to include their input in the proposed policy that would be approved soon.

Mohammad Asif, who was heading the political group, said that the policy draft extensively discussed human values and fundamental human rights, but was silent on the FCR.

He said that such policies would be futile until the government extended all constitutional rights to the tribal area. “The government should abolish all draconian laws and executive orders which are repugnant to the Constitution,” he demanded.

The policy draft called for respect for human rights as adopted in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1948 and mentioned in the fundamental rights endorsed by the Constitution.

An official said that the federal government had extended about 136 laws to the tribal area, but it could not be implemented because of absence of mechanism and infrastructure in Fata.

Fata Lawyers Forum president Ijaz Mohmand called for the separation of judiciary and executive in tribal area and amendment to Article 247 of the Constitution. He complained that political reforms announced for Fata in 2011 had not been fully introduced.

He said that fundamental rights could not be protected without extension of the jurisdiction of parliament and superior courts.

Dr Ziarat Shah, representing the panel on social empowerment of tribal youth, observed that restoration of peace was prerequisite for the social empowerment of tribal society. He said that the government should ensure provision of basic amenities, including health and education.

Prof Bashir Ahmad hailing from Mohmand Agency observed that efficient local government system was need of the hour otherwise political empowerment of tribal society would be impossible.

The governor appreciated the efforts of Fata Secretariat for the consultation for the first youth policy for Fata. He said that the government was providing opportunities to tribal people to prepare policies for themselves. He, however, said that professionals, including specialist doctors, did not go to tribal area despite opportunities and incentives.