PESHAWAR: A group of tribal elders, including representatives of Khyber Union, a welfare body, and Fata Grand Alliance on Friday strongly opposed the merger of Fata with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

Speaking at a joint news conference at Peshawar Press Club, former MNA Hameedullah Jan Afridi, who heads the alliance, urged the federal government to give Fata the status of a separate province instead of merging it with KP. He demanded of the government to conduct local government elections in Fata and announce development package for the tribal belt.

He was accompanied by tribal elders, including Bazar Gul, president of Khyber Union, Murad Saqi, its chief organiser, and office-bearers of the alliance.

Mr Afridi also asked the Fata Reforms Committee Chairman Sartaj Aziz to seek apology from tribesmen for what he said labeling them as ‘rebellious’, insisting that the tribal people were neither rebels nor security risk for the country, but were peace-loving and patriotic people.

Hameedullah Afridi said the KP province was already economically weak and could not bear the burden of 10 million tribals.

Arguing in favour of a separate provincial status for Fata, he said fate of the tribal areas should be decided through a referendum. He claimed that hardly 25 per cent tribal people favored their region’s merger with KP.

The former lawmaker said they wanted the complete abolishment of Frontier Crime Regulation (FCR) as well as all the powers of political agents, and establishment of an independent elected council.

“For provision of speedy justice to tribal people, Fata courts or Fata jirga courts should be formed in consultation with the autonomous and independent elected council,” he maintained, and added that all the disputes and cases of tribesmen should be resolved under tribal customs.

Published in Dawn November 26th, 2016