ISLAMABAD: Senators from the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) reacted angrily in the Senate on Tuesday when a minister opposed a resolution calling for the fulfilment of promises made by the previous Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz government with the people of Fata at the time of its merger with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Speaking on the resolution moved by Senator Aurangzeb Khan, Minister of State for Revenue Hammad Azhar refused to meet the demands of Fata senators and said: “There is no document which says that the previous government had promised 3 per cent funds of the National Finance Commission (NFC) award and 20,000 jobs for the people of Fata.”

The senators from Fata threatened to launch protest if Rs100 billion and 20,000 jobs were not provided to the tribal people.

The Senate passed three other resolutions, including the one that condemned atrocities of Indian forces against innocent Kashmiris. Debate on these resolutions continued for over four hours.

Legislators from tribal areas threaten to mount protests if demands are not met

Speaking on his resolution, Aurangzeb Khan said: “The war-torn tribal areas have no infrastructure. There is no school and even houses have been bombed. Now Fata people have lost their patience due to negligence of the government and its failure to fulfil the promises made to them at the time of Fata’s merger with KP.

“If the demands of Fata people are not met, they will come on the street and no power in the world will be able to stop them. I am a part of the government, but it is the responsibility of both treasury and opposition benches to pass this resolution unanimously.”

Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan said that after 18th Amendment to the Constitution, merger of Fata with KP was the biggest achievement of the previous PML-N government. “Politically, we stand by the merger and will fulfil whatever commitments had been made with the people of tribal areas,” he said.

Leader of the House in the Senate Shibli Faraz tried to appease Fata senators and said the government did not want to reject the resolution and asked Senate Deputy Chairman Salim Mandviwala, who was presiding over the session, to defer the resolution so that it could be presented in the house after thorough deliberations.

Another senator from Fata, Muhammad Ayub, said that the revenue minister had passed “dangerous” remarks that there was no written agreement regarding the release of funds from the NFC award and provision of 20,000 jobs to Fata people.

“We [tribal people] only believe in verbal commitments and if these promises are not met, it would lead to a civil war,” he warned.

Minister for Religious Affairs Noorul Haq Qadri said Prime Minister Imran Khan had directed Finance Minister Asad Umar to ensure release of funds promised to the Fata people.

“We can put the record straight,” he urged the revenue minister.

On this, the deputy chairman said that the treasury members were giving an impression that there was no unanimity in the ruling alliance on the Fata issue. “Mr Shibli Faraz, you can go outside and decide what will be your unanimous point of view on the matter,” he said.

Leader of the Opposition in the Senate Raja Zafarul Haq said that if Aurangzeb Khan’s resolution was not passed, it would create frustration among the people of Fata. The resolution must be passed and should not be deferred, he added.

Senator Mushtaq Ahmed Khan said that no one was paying heed to the agony of over five million people of Fata where a legal vacuum had developed after the “half-hearted” merger of Fata with KP.

Minister for Human Rights Dr Shireen Mazari called the revenue minister and whispered something in his ears after which he again spoke on the floor of the house and took a U-turn on the issue of Fata. “Ms Mazari, who was involved in the discussion of Fata merger, has briefed me on the issue and now I support the resolution,” he said.

Resolution on Kashmir violence

Senator Abdul Qayyum presented a resolution condemning the fresh spate of atrocities of India armed forces in held Kashmir. The resolution was passed unanimously.

Senators on both sides of the aisle condemned the roles of the United Nations and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on the Kashmir issue. They said both the organisations were behaving like silent spectators on brutalities being committed in Kashmir, Palestine and other Islamic states.

Meanwhile, the Senate passed a resolution regarding implementing of Zakat and Usher system in the country in its true spirit.

Another resolution adopted by the house urged the government to take immediate steps to ensure use of complete name of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in official correspondence instead of its acronym, KPK or KP. The resolution was moved by Senator Sitara Ayaz.

A resolution, moved by Senator Khushbakht Shujaat, recommended biographies of all martyrs, who have been awarded Nishan-i-Haider, be included in curriculum of all educational institutions in the country.

Published in Dawn, December 19th, 2018