KHAR: Speakers at a seminar on the ‘role of women in socioeconomic development of tribal areas’ here on Saturday rejected the proposed replacement of the Frontier Crimes Regulation with the Riwaj Act, and urged the federal government to extend constitutional rights to the tribal areas.

They also stressed the need of holding early local government elections in Fata, adding that local bodies system was the best way to ensure basic rights to the tribesmen.

The seminar was organised by Fata Students Federation in collaboration with an NGO, Centre for Governance and Public Accountability (CGPA), in Barang tehsil.

Women from various walks of life, including teachers and students, attended the daylong event.

Niala Akhtar, a representative of CGPA, briefed the participants about the significance of the seminar and activities of the NGO.

According to her, the civil society body had been working for promotion of public accountability and good governance across the country.

Ms Akhtar said the seminar was aimed to make the women aware about the proposed plan to make amendments to the current governance system in the tribal areas by the federal government.

The speakers pointed out that the government’s approved reforms package for Fata did not fully address the concerns of a majority of the tribesmen.

They pointed out that replacing FCR with the Riwaj Act would be unproductive, terming the latter another FCR. They claimed that Riwaj Act was against the will of majority of people.

The speakers criticised the government for not extending the country’s regular laws to the tribal areas despite its promises to ensure basic rights to the tribesmen.

The participants urged the federal government to fulfill its commitments to bring positive changes in the tribal areas by extending constitutional rights to the region.

They also demanded speeding up the process of merging Fata into KP, and introducing local bodies system in the region.

The participants asked the federal government to reserve special seats for the women of tribal areas in the national and provincial assemblies in the upcoming general elections.

Published in Dawn, May 7th, 2017