ISLAMABAD: If Monday’s rally in the capital is anything to go by, the demand for political reforms in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) is no longer limited to the tribal areas alone, but seems to be gaining wider acceptance.

Nearly all major political parties that have a presence in the tribal areas converged outside parliament in a show of strength. Mainstream political leaders addressed the supporters and workers from an improvised stage, made out of a mini-truck, set up at D-Chowk, which was also the site of Imran Khan’s marathon sit-in last year.

Irrespective of party affiliation and stature in the political arena, all speakers criticised the continuation of the regressive Frontier Crimes Regulation (FCR), 1901 into the 21st century.

Some of the speakers even said that residents of Fata were only ‘10 per cent Pakistani’, as they only received 90 per cent of their rights as the citizens of the state after leaving Fata.

Though initiated by a group of parliamentarians led by independent MNA Al-Haj Shah Jee Gul Afridi and launched from the forum of the Fata Siyasi Itehad – or Fata Political Alliance – the demand for long standing political reforms and changes to the existing structure of the tribal areas has taken centre stage among political forces from Fata.

Leaders say law and order vacuum can only be filled by extending constitutional cover to tribal areas

Mr Afridi told Dawn that developments over the past two decades had destroyed the long-standing social fabric of tribal society, which was used to maintain order in the area rather than the FCR.

“Earlier, communities used to live like families and followed set norms, which encouraged cooperation instead of competition among neighbours,” Mr Afridi said.

“But with the arrival of Taliban, foreign fighters and killing of tribal elders, there was a leadership vacuum: nobody is in-charge there now. So, we want the law of Pakistan to be applied to the tribal areas to fill the gap that has been created.”

Under the Constitution, no laws of the country – such as the courts, Pemra, taxation and banking rules etc – are applicable there. Each tribal agency is headed by a bureaucrat – the political agent – who enjoys all administrative and judicial powers.

The Fata Siyasi Itehad also held a meeting on Friday, Nov 13, and their demonstration in the capital on Monday was considered a success, ahead of another meeting in the Senate over this mater.

Along with abolishing FCR, nearly all speakers called for merging Fata into KP. However, speakers from the Jamaat-i-Islami, ANP, PPP, PTI, Qaumi Watan Party and even independent leaders stressed that the final decision on this should be made by the people of Fata themselves.

PML-Q’s Ajmal Wazir demanded a relief package to end the sense of deprivation in the seven tribal agencies.

“The most important thing is that the benefits of the relief package should reach ordinary citizens – not just the well-off or the bureaucracy.”

PTI leader Asad Umar said that demanding their constitutional rights was the right of all residents of Fata. He also questioned the government’s disbursement of foreign aid obtained in the name of Fata.

Published in Dawn, November 17th, 2015