PESHAWAR: Women from various agencies of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas have demanded the immediate mainstreaming of the entire tribal region and its merger with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The demand was made during an oath-taking ceremony of the Takhra Qabaili Khwendi (brave tribal sisters) at the Peshawar Press Club on Tuesday.

Chairperson of Women Parliamentary Caucus, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and former provincial minister Miraj Hamayun, who was the chief guest on the occasion, administered oath to six members of the TQK newly-elected steering committee, including Maryam Bibi, Ayesha Hassan, Samina Afridi, Safia Orakzai, Rakshanda Naz, and Manzoor Afridi.

Ms Miraj Hamayun highlighted the need for Fata-KP merger and said it was essential for the mainstreaming of tribal women.

She said tribesmen had been denied all fundamental rights due to the enforcement of the Frontier Crimes Regulation.

The women parliamentary caucus’ chairperson said the health and education infrastructure had been badly damaged in tribal regions to the misery of the people.

She said women were vulnerable due to the mass displacement in conflict-hit region and that no proper measures had been taken to rehabilitate the internally displaced persons from various Fata agencies.

Ms Miraj Hamayun criticised the federal government over failure to take serious steps to mainstream the tribal region and bring changes to the lives of the local residents.

She said any further delay to Fata reforms would be a ‘complete injustice’ with the local residents and therefore, KP-Fata integration should happen immediately to usher in an era of development and progress in the region.

The women parliamentary caucus’ chairperson asked the TQK to launch a campaign for creating awareness among tribal women of their constitutional and legal rights.

She congratulated members of the TQK’s steering committee and called for the constitution of more such bodies to raise the voice of women in an efficient manner. Ms Miraj Hamayun demanded of the federal government to form a commission on the status of tribal women.

Earlier, TQK focal person Noor Jehan said her organisation had played a pivotal role for raising voice for tribal women. She said the organisation had provided a better platform for Fata women and that it was making vigorous efforts to bring positive changes to socioeconomic conditions in tribal region.

Ms Noor Jehan called for the social and economic empowerment of tribal women to ease their miseries.

Published in Dawn, September 27th, 2017