PESHAWAR, Aug 28: The participants in a two-day seminar have asked the government to make necessary amendments in the Frontier Crimes Regulations (FCR) to improve human rights situation in tribal areas.

According to a press release issued here on Wednesday, the participants were of the view that the FCR was a British period law, which was specifically tailored to rule the Pashtun tribes in Frontier region without regard to due process and rule of law.

They said that the federal shariat court and the supreme court had already termed proceedings under the FCR as un-Islamic and inhuman and it was the right time to make necessary amendments in the FCR.

The seminar on social, political and administrative issues in FATA was organized at Baragali by the Tribal Reforms and Development Forum, in collaboration with the Human Rights Study Centre, Faculty of Law, University of Peshawar and the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan.

The participants asked the government to provide basic education facilities in FATA; announce seats for FATA women in the proposed local government scheme, national and provincial assemblies and Senate; and include family laws in the FCR schedule for improving human rights conditions of tribal women.

The recommendations of the seminar also included the re- structuring of jirga under the FCR by replacing a nominated jirga with an elected one.

The elected local council members, including women councillors, should be nominated to the jirga under the FCR to check misuse of powers by jirga members.