PESHAWAR, July 21: The Awami National Party has urged the federal government to replace the “oppressive” political agents’ system with a “civilised administration” because tribesmen are opposed to the colonial arrangements in Fata.

Commenting on President Pervez Musharraf’s address to the nation, ANP vice-president Mohammad Adeel said that it sounded like an address of a viceroy to his subjects in the pre-1947 subcontinent.

He said tribesmen were opposed to the political administration but, he alleged, Gen Musharraf was continuing to exploit tribal people.

He said the people of the tribal areas had been demanding a just and legal system which should treat them like human beings and not like animals under the Frontier Crimes Regulations.

Under the present system, he said, elders (Maliks) and political agents were plundering the people.

He said political parties should be allowed to work in Fata. He was of the opinion that political parties could end fundamentalism through their peaceful political activities but the government had banned political activities in Fata.

He called upon the government to enforce the Political Parties Act in Fata.

Referring to the Balochistan situation, he accused the government of torturing and kidnapping Baloch nationalists.

He alleged that army generals had always exploited religious forces and feelings to achieve their own objectives.