PESHAWAR: JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Saturday offered an alternative way to resolve the standoff over the future of Fata by suggesting drastic reforms in the existing colonial-era system of governance.

“Let us go for reforms in the existing system if the merger of Fata with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa or referendum over the issue is not possible,” he told the ‘Qabail Youth Conference’ here.

The JUI-F organised the event to mold the opinion of Fata youths over the future of tribal areas. It was attended by federal minister Akram Khan Durrani and elders opposed to Fata-KP merger.

Says federal govt in disarray over tribal region’s future

Most speakers from tribal region demanded that Fata be made a separate province instead of being merged with KP and that the Frontier Crimes Regulation enforced in Fata be done away with.

The JUI-F has been opposing the Fata-KP merger plan and demanded referendum to seek opinion of the tribal people about the future of their region.

The charged workers in the conference demanded ‘Qabailistan’ province and opposed the region’s unification with KP.

Mr Fazl said the federal government was in disarray over the future of Fata.

He said Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi had admitted that the tabling of the Rewaj Act in the National Assembly was wrong.

“These people lack vision and that is why they are confused,” he said while criticising the policy of the federal government on Fata.

His party is the coalition partner of the ruling PML-N in the centre.

“First, the government called for the merger and then drafted Rewaj Act but now, it is withdrawing the Rewaj Act,” he said.

The JUI-F chief also criticised the ANP, PPP, PTI and Jamaat-i-Islami for holding rally in Islamabad in favour of the Fata-KP merger.

He said reforms in the present system of governance in Fata could be discussed in parliament and that political parties should show maturity and exercise patience on the issue.

“This issue could be resolved through dialogue,” he added.

Mr Fazl said the US had tasked ‘some people’ with running a campaign for the Fata’s merger with KP.

He warned that the merger would generate new disputes in Fata like those in the disputed Kashmir region.

The JUI-F chief suggested the replacement of FCR with Sharia laws. He said Fata would get 23 seats in the Senate, its own chief minister and share in the National Finance Commission if it was made a separate province, while in case of merger with KP, the number of its assembly seats would decrease.

He said the local residents would get more rights if Fata was made the country’s fifth province.

On the occasion, former diplomat Ayaz Wazir said a likeminded group in Islamabad had started the ‘Qabail Province Movement’.

He said both FCR and civil law in Fata were unacceptable and that a referendum should be held on the future of the region.

The former diplomat said some political parties, which didn’t have roots in tribal region, demanded the Fata-KP merger.

Retired brigadier Nazir Mohmand said the people of Fata were being deprived of their identity by proposing their region’s merging with KP, which was unacceptable to the local residents. He said if KP couldn’t handle dengue outbreak, how it would resolve the problems of Fata after merger.

Minister Akram Durrani said the JUI-F blocked the execution of the Fata-KP merger plan and mobilised the tribal people against it and would continue safeguarding the rights of tribal people.

Published in Dawn, October 15th, 2017