LANDI KOTAL: Qaumi Watan Party chairman Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao has called for concerted efforts by all political forces to pressurise the federal government and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government to fulfil their constitutional obligation of implementing the 25th constitutional amendment regarding merger of tribal areas with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

He was speaking at a conference on ‘Fata merger: current situation and way forward’, organised by QWP on Saturday. It was attended by leaders of different political parties, members of civil society, experts on tribal affairs and former parliamentarians.

Mr Sherpao said that the event was organised at a time when anti-merger elements were mounting pressure for repeal of the entire plan and a need was felt to reunite all the pro-merger people on a platform to raise a collective voice for a prompt implementation of the plan.

He said that the new provincial assembly of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had not spoken for once on the Fata-KP merger nor had it passed any resolution for expediting the merger process.

QWP urges political forces to unite and pressurise govt to fulfil its obligation

He expressed his reservations about creation of a so-called task force by the federal government for giving the proverbial ‘impetus’ to the merger plan.

He instead suggested formation of an independent task force comprising of representatives of all the mainstream political parties to oversee the complete merger of tribal areas with KP.

Other speakers on the occasion demanded immediate completion of the delimitation process in all the seven tribal districts so that elections to the provincial assembly and local bodies could be held.

They alleged that anti-merger elements were trying to reverse the merger plan for the achievement of their personal goals as they had benefited from the previous system.

They demanded of the federal government to immediately call a meeting of the National Finance Commission award so as to allocate 3 per cent share for the newly-merged districts which they believed would help expedite the development of these backward regions.

The participants of the conference through a joint resolution demanded immediate abolition of Fata Secretariat and transfer of all its powers to the provincial civil secretariat, allocation of reserved quota in jobs in all the government departments for the educated youth of tribal districts and recruitment of young tribesmen in various security institutions.

The resolution further demanded special incentives for creation of economic zones in all the new districts which would ensure creation of job opportunities for the unemployed youth. It also demanded official patronage for the local industries, especially the arms manufacturing units in Darra Adamkhel and other districts.

The participants demanded judicious utilisation of all the development funds along with stopping the Governor House from meddling into the affairs of tribal districts.

The resolution called for establishment of judicial system and other law enforcement institutions in the new districts.

Published in Dawn, November 11th, 2018