KHAR: Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl leaders on Sunday reiterated their demand for making Fata a separate province and claimed that this would be the best and effective solution to all problems of the tribal people.

They were addressing a public meeting here at the government high school’s ground which was attended by party workers and students of religious seminaries.

Those who spoke on the occasion included Senator Hafiz Hamdullah Jan, JUI-F Fata coordinator Khalid Jan, Bajaur chief Maulana Abdur Rasheed, JTI provincial president Qari Adnan and Maulana Mohammad Laiq.

They said that JUI-F wanted a separate province of Fata because it was imperative for durable peace and sustainable development of the region. “The JUI-F believes that separate province of Fata is the best solution to the problems of tribesmen and no one would be allowed to indulge in political point-scoring on this issue,” said Senator Jan.

He rejected the notion that socio-economic situation of the tribal areas would get a boost after merger of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He claimed that any such move would increase the problems of tribesmen as KP was already in great financial crisis.

The speakers urged the leaders of political parties to back the JUI-F’s plan of separate province.

They said that they were not against the implementation of proposed reforms in the tribal areas, including repeal of the Frontier Crimes Regulation.

The JUI-F leaders again called for holding a referendum to know the views of every person in the tribal areas about the Fata’s future.

Published in Dawn, December 25th, 2017