Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz Bajaur MNA Shahabuddin Khan. PHOTO: facebook.com
SHABQADAR/ PESHAWAR: The legislative bill demanding the inclusion of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas in the province of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa was submitted to the National Assembly Secretariat on Wednesday.
“We have reached a conclusion after consulting almost every stakeholder on the issue,” Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s MNA Shahabuddin Khan told The Express Tribune. The National Assembly secretary was informed that the document has been drafted with legal experts in the loop.”
At loggerheads
However, not everyone from the tribal region seems pleased with changes in the tribal customs which were proposed by Fata lawmakers.
“We would welcome reforms in the Frontier Crimes Regulation, but will never allow anyone to take over the jirga system and control forests in the tribal areas,” said Qaumi Council President Haji Bazar Gul during a news conference at Peshawar Press Club on Wednesday. “The tribespeople should be consulted before any decision is taken.”
He alleged public representatives, who have taken the decisions for Fata, secure only 20% of the votes and that too by bribing voters. “They do not represent tribesmen.”
These allegations have not passed without a response from parliamentarians.
They said they had the support of the people in the tribal areas and those who were in favour of FCR were mostly the ones who were living outside the tribal belt.
“Although they enjoy the perks and privileges of being elected representatives from the tribal areas, their families live in Islamabad,” said Shahabuddin. “They cannot decide whether FCR is viable or not. If FCR is a favourable law, why has it not been implemented in Islamabad?”
In solidarity
Members of Fata Political Alliance held a news conference at Mohmand Press Club.
“The bill will change the fate of the region and such a consensus over an issue has seldom been seen,” said Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl’s Arif Haqqani, who is also the president of the alliance. Arif was accompanied by Pakistan Peoples Party Mohmand President Dr Farooq Afzal and office-bearers of other political parties.
Historic draft
If passed, the bill would amend articles 246 and 247 of the Constitution, after which the tribal areas would be brought under the ambit of K-P.
The draft was signed when independent and political parliamentarians from the tribal region held a meeting with lawyers.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 10th, 2015.
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