PESHAWAR: The participants of a consultative meeting here on Sunday urged the government to abolish Fata Secretariat and allocate sufficient funds for the development of the tribal districts.

The event was organised by Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS) that was attended by ANP MPA Sardar Hussain Babak, PTI MNA Iqbal Afridi, former MNA Lateef Afridi, analyst Dr Ashraf Ali, journalist Iftikhar Firdous, JI former MNA Haroon Rasheed, Dr Noreen Naseer, ANP’s Nisar Mohmand and PPP’s Changez Khan, said a press release.

“The government should immediately announce package for the development of the tribal districts. If Karachi alone can get Rs50 billion in the mini-budget, then why not the newly merged tribal districts,” questioned MPA Sardar Babak.

Speakers say Fata Secretariat should be abolished immediately

He said that the province had a ministry for home and tribal affairs and Safron ministry, Fata Secretariat should be abolished immediately to pave the way for development of the region.

Mr Babak said that the people of the tribal districts had been kept deprived of their rights for over 70 years. “To address their grievances, Rs100 billion, which has been announced in NFC award, should be dispensed immediately and mega projects should be initiated in the region,” he added.

MNA Iqbal Afridi said PTI would take steps to abolish the interim regulation in the tribal areas as it was only another name of Frontier Crimes Regulations (FCR).

He said that the government formed a committee to address the grievances of the tribal people. He said he was also a member of the committee.

Lateef Afridi said that the political consensus that led to the 25th Amendment must be activated to continue the process of mainstreaming the region.

Dr Ashraf Ali said that civil society and media must play role in providing equal rights and opportunities to the people of the tribal districts. He labeled the emancipation of tribal people a litmus test case for the government.

IftikharFirdous said that budget for tribal districts was reduced from Rs24 billion to Rs10 billion. He said that owing to infighting and political disagreements, $1.7 billion allocated by three international agencies could go to waste.

Other speakers said that powers should be transferred from officers to elected representatives so that democracy could take roots in the region.

Published in Dawn, September 24th, 2018