ISLAMABAD: Senators of different parties criticised successive governments and the establishment on Thursday for not merging the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) into the mainstream and depriving people of the areas of their rights envisaged in the Constitution.

At a special committee comprising all Senators, they said that the military establishment still appeared to be opposing reforms in Fata.

Farhatullah Babar of the PPP said the reform process was initiated by former president Asif Ali Zardari in 2010 and after three years of hard work a comprehensive report was received, but the military establishment did not want any change in the status of Fata. “But I do not know what their stance is today.”

He said vested interests were against reforms in Fata. “These people say that the people of Fata are opposed to education and they don’t send girls to schools; later they opposed the political process in tribal areas.”

Mr Babar said the party-based elections with ‘one man one vote’ had been held in a more peaceful manner in Fata than in Punjab, KP or Sindh.

A few individuals and some people in the security establishment and bureaucracy had been manipulating things, he said, adding that officials of the military establishment should be called to explain their reservations about Fata reforms.

He suggested that before initiating Fata reforms, parliament should abolish Article 247(7) of the Constitution and allow the Supreme Court to exercise its jurisdiction in Fata.

In October last year, the Senate had passed a resolution to extend the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court and High Court to Fata. “The resolution, along with a bill, is still lying with the prime minister.” It was not tabled before the National Assembly for voting, he said.

Minister for States and Frontier Regions retired Lt Gen Abdul Qadir Baloch informed the committee that the government had a long-term plan for introducing reforms in Fata.

He said there were several options – first was to maintain the status quo by making changes in the FCR and introducing a judicial system in Fata.

The other option was to merge Fata into the KP by initially making it a Provincially Administered Tribal Area for some time. The third option is to make Fata a separate province.

“We are discussing these models with the army and the best option also acceptable to them is a special status for Fata like Gilgit-Baltistan,” Mr Baloch said.

He talked about a long-term reform and uplift programme for Fata, including giving 2,000 jobs to its people in the army over the next 10 years, offering 4,000 seats to Fata students in technical training institutes in Punjab and Sindh over the next 10 years and initiating infrastructure development projects.

Senator Saleh Shah said the committee was discussing immediate reforms in Fata, not future measures to be taken in 10 years.

Senator Hasil Bizenjo criticised the PML-N government for not doing anything to solve the problem. “The only solution is to merge Fata into KP and things will gradually improve,” he added.

Senator Mushahid Hussain supported GB-like status for Fata, but chairman Raza Rabbani said the chief minister and GB council had no powers because all powers had been transferred back to Islamabad.

Before closing the meeting, the chairman announced that the next sitting of the committee will be held with all stakeholders, including local representative bodies of Fata, the army and politicians like Maulana Fazlur Rehman and Mehmood Khan Achakzai.

Published in Dawn, November 13th, 2015