PESHAWAR: Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has said that recent statement by military commanders about the National Action Plan (NAP) should not be viewed as a warning but should be taken in “a positive sense”.

Talking to media personnel here before attending a tribal jirga on Thursday, he said that apex committees were the appropriate forums to discuss national issues, including implementation of NAP.

“Take statement of the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) positively... it should not be considered a warning,” he said when asked about the press release issued after the corps commanders’ meeting in Rawalpindi on Tuesday.

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“Apex committees exist and such issues can be discussed there,” he said, adding that the army chief could not issue directives to the prime minister.

The apex committees, comprising civilian and military leaders, have been set up at the federal level and in the four provinces to take decisions regarding terrorism and governance.

He said the government had tasked the army with restoring peace in Karachi, Balochistan and Fata and if bad governance was an issue and a hindrance to NAP’s implementation then an institution could send its proposals to the government.

Addressing the grand jirga convened by JUI-F to discuss problems being faced by the people of Fata, Maulana Fazl criticised some political parties and a group of Fata lawmakers for campaigning for integration of tribal areas with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

He said that some political parties were trying to sabotage the efforts of the grand jirga which had been mandated in 2012 to work for peace in Fata.

All major political parties like Awami National Party, Jamaat-i-Islami, Qaumi Watan Party, Pakistan Tehreek Insaf and other groups are in favour of merger of Fata with KP. The ANP has announced its support for a rally to be taken out on Nov 16 for Fata reforms.

The JUI-F chief said that any decision relating to Fata should be taken after consultations with tribal elders.

He said that tribal elders had reservations over the six-member committee set up by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to finalise recommendations about Fata reforms. Adviser to Prime Minister Sartaj Aziz is head of the committee.

The jirga asked Maulana Fazl to hold talks with the prime minister and convey its reservations over Fata issues to him.

Published in Dawn, November 13th, 2015