PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly on Tuesday rejected the steering committee formed by the federal government to carry out development schemes under the Accelerated Implementation Programme in the merged tribal districts (formerly Fata).

The development came through a joint resolution, which was approved by the majority of MPAs during a session chaired by Deputy Speaker Suraiya Bibi.

Opposition members opposed the motion, declaring the federal government move a good step as the funds released by the federal government for the merged areas have never been utilized there.

PTI lawmaker Ajmal Khan moved the resolution, which was supported by other members, including Anwar Zaib, Shafiullah, Fazal Shakoor, Abdul Ghani and Aurangzaib Khan.

Calls steering committee’s formation ‘unconstitutional, illegal and undemocratic’

The federal government constituted a steering committee for the utilisation of its funds in tribal districts under the AIP.

The committee comprises the deputy chairman of the Planning Commission, provincial governor, four MNAs and two MPAs from merged tribal areas, secretary of the Finance Division, additional chief secretary of the province, chief economist of the Planning Commission, additional secretary (planning and development), and any co-opted member by the committee chairman.

Raising objections to the resolution, the opposition members insisted that the funds released by the federal government for the development of merged areas had always been utilised in the constituencies of the chief ministers.

They added that since the merger of Fata with KP, the successive PTI governments had not released enough development funds for the underdeveloped tribal region.

While presenting the resolution, MPA Ajmal Khan said that the federal government’s act of constituting a committee for the recommendation and identification of development schemes in merged districts was unconstitutional, illegal and undemocratic.

He said that the move was also against the agreements and recommendations presented under the National Finance Commission.

“The provincial autonomy has been granted to all provinces under the 18th Constitutional Amendments, but the formation of this steering committee is against the spirit of the Constitution,” he said.

The lawmaker said after the merger of Fata, only KP could intervene in the administrative, development and financial affairs of those areas.

He, however, said that in violation of the Constitution, the federal government had formed a steering committee to serve its interest and achieve its goals in the merged areas, an act of interfering in the provincial government’s affairs.

Mr Ajmal said that it was the federal government’s responsibility to treat all provinces without discrimination.

He, however, said the federal government had not fulfilled its pledges made with the people of merged areas that it would release Rs1 trillion in one decade and three per cent share of the NFC Award for the uplift of merged tribal districts.

“Owing to denial of promised funds, proper development activities couldn’t be seen in the merged areas. Through this resolution, this house demands of the federal government to withdraw the notification for the constitution of the steering committee as the act is unconstitutional, illegal and undemocratic,” he said.

The lawmaker also warned through the resolution that if the federal government didn’t withdraw, then the provincial government would challenge it at all available forums.

On a point of order, lawmaker of the opposition ANP Nisar Baaz said that the funds meant for the merged areas had been utilised on the development of settled districts in violation of the commitments made with the tribal people prior to mergers of their region with KP.

“Funds for merged districts have been spent in the Malakand Division during the previous PTI government as the then chief minister, Mehmood Khan, belonged to that area,” he said.

Mr Nisar said that the provincial government had excluded opposition lawmakers from committees tasked with recommending and identifying development schemes and included non-elected people in them.

The house also passed the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Code of Criminal Procedure (Amendments) Bill, 2025, and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Laws (Amendments) Bill, 2025.

The chair later adjourned the session until next Friday.

Published in Dawn, January 29th, 2025