PESHAWAR: The All Fata Political Alliance on Thursday expressed disappointment with the Fata Reforms Committee saying the panel formed by the prime minister hasn’t taken it and other stakeholders into confidence on the future of the mountainous region.

It said it would continue with its struggle for administrative and judicial reforms in Fata and the repeal of the Frontier Crimes Regulation.

AFPA convener and PPP leader Akhunzada Chattan told reporters at the Peshawar Press Club that the committee formed by the prime minister to hold meetings with stakeholders on Fata reforms had miserably failed to fulfil its task.

“We (alliance) have not been invited to the committee’s meetings. If invited, we’ll apprise the committee of the Fata people’s views on their problems, including on the FCR, local body elections, and provision of facilities,” he said.

Says struggle for change of region’s administrative, judicial systems will continue

The participants unanimously nominated PTI’s Iqbal Afridi and Jamaat-i-Islami’s Zarnoor Afridi as the alliance’s president and general secretary respectively.

Other office-bearers of the alliance will be name afterwards.

Besides Akhunzada Chattan, Iqbal Afridi and Zarnoor Afridi, ANP’s Nisar Mohmand, JUI-F’s Maulana Ainuddin Shakir, PML-Q’s Aftab Khan, QWP’s Zahir Shah Safi and other political activists also participated in the meeting.

Mr Chattan said the alliance was working for the restoration of durable peace in Fata, abolition of FCR, merger of the region with KP, and Pata status for tribal regions.

He said peace couldn’t be restored by military operations only and instead, the government should take serious steps to ensure normalcy and development in Fata.

The convener of the alliance demanded Rs500 billion package for reconstruction, development and rehabilitation in the tribal region.

He said Fata people had long been denied fundamental rights. He called for the extension of the superior courts’ jurisdiction to Fata and amendment of Article 247 of the Constitution to provide all basic human rights to the local residents.

Mr Chattan said the people of Fata had been left at the mercy of tribal chiefs, maliks and the KP governor, who all wanted to exploit the tribesmen.

He urged the government to merge Fata with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and support the bill presented by Fata parliamentarians in the National Assembly on it.

The convener of the alliance said the FCR should be abolished outright and that the status of Fata should be changed in line with the people’s aspirations.

He demanded the holding of local body elections in Fata.

Mr Iqbal Afridi said the alliance would intensify its efforts for the FCR abolition and would announce the future course of action on Fata reforms shortly.

He accused the Fata reforms committee of ignoring the alliance, the Fata people’s representative forum.

“We can’t accept reforms proposed by Fata officials, Governor’s Secretariat and political administration. If the government and reforms committee are serious about bringing change in Fata administrative and judicial systems, then it should consult members of the All Fata Political Alliance, tribal elders, students, and youths,” he said.

Mr Zarnoor Afridi demanded the immediate FCR abolition and merger of Fata with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

He also urged the government to announce Rs500 billion package for Fata to mitigate the tribesmen’s misery and reconstruction of infrastructure.

Published in Dawn, January 15th, 2016