PESHAWAR: Pakhtunkhwa Olasi Tehreek and Pakistan Mazdoor Kisan Party (PMKP) have urged the federal government to merge Federally Administered Tribal Area with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and described a proposal floated by some politicians about referendum on the issue as unconstitutional.
Speaking at a press conference at the Peshawar Press Club on Saturday, the Tehreek convener Dr Said Alam Mehsud rejected the 1973 constitution and demanded formation of, what he said, an autonomous and sovereign constitution in the light of March 23, 1940 resolution wherein all the people of country should be given equal rights.
PMKP leader Yousaf Anwar and other tribal elders were also present at the presser. Dr Mehsud said that they would write a letter to all the political parties which were raising voice for the rights of Pakhtun nation to bring them on a single platform to make collective efforts for acceptance of the demands.
While referring to an interview of former KP governor Sardar Mahtab Ahmed Khan in which he called for holding a referendum on the issue of Fata’s merger with KP, Mr Mehsud deplored that the PML-N leader had ‘badly hurt’ the feelings of tribal people.
“The former governor’s stand is tantamount to pushing the already downtrodden people of Fata against the wall. The governor doesn’t want to bring the militancy-hit people of tribal region into the mainstream,” Dr Mehsud said.
He insisted that Fata merger with KP would gather Pakhtuns at one platform to enable them to raise a strong voice for their rights.
Dr Mehsud alleged that the opinion of Sardar Mahtab was a conspiracy being hatched by Punjab which, he added, ‘had been occupying the resources of Pakhtuns’. He said the PML-N government had itself formed Fata Reforms Committee (FRC) which, in its report, had clearly mentioned that majority of tribesmen wanted merger of Fata with KP.
The Pakhtunkhwa Olasi Tehreek leader said a letter would be written to Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party chief Mahmood Khan Achakzai to convene a session of political parties and restore their alliance (Pakistan Oppressed Nations Movement (PONM).
Dr Mesud also appealed to federal government to arrange a referendum for a Pakhtun united province.
Published in Dawn, November 27th, 2016
