PESHAWAR: Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has opposed merger of Fata with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, saying the issue should be resolved according to the wishes of tribal people.

Following his meeting with a tribal jirga here on Monday, the JUI-F chief told journalists that tribal elders had suggested formation of Fata Supreme Council to focus on solution of the issue.

He said that it was duty of the federal government to pay proper attention to suggestions of the jigra and make decision according to the wishes of tribal people. He said that tribal people had the right to decide their future by themselves.

He said that Fata Supreme Council would hold dialogue with the government on the issue.

Says issue should be resolved according to wishes of tribal people

The JUI-F chief said that a campaign was launched for merger of Fata with KP but it was against the wishes of tribal people. He said that trial jirga had taken serious steps to invite people of all segments to share their views in that regard.

Mr Rehman said that federal government was also indecisive on the issue as it had not decided to merge Fata with KP or to approve Rewaj Act. He said that government had also confused people and political parties as well.

He said that JUI-F did not to observe sit-ins or protest demonstrations over the future of Fata but it simply wanted amicable solution to the issue as per the aspirations of tribal people.

The JUI-F chief said that desires and aspirations of tribal people should be honoured before deciding the fate of Fata because it was not an ordinary issue.

To a quarry regarding restoration of Mutahidda Majlis-i-Amal, he said that JUI-F had convened a meeting on November 9 in Lahore in that regard.

To another quarry about fencing boarder between Pakistan and Afghanistan, he said that such decisions were taken by security forces.

Referring to the demand of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf regarding dissolution of the assemblies, the JUI-F chief said that assemblies should compete the constitutional tenure. He said that his party would never support premature elections in the country.

Published in Dawn, November 7th, 2017