The All Bajaur Political Parties Alliance has demanded an end to the Frontier Crimes Regulation (FCR) in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata).
During a demonstration in the agency headquarters on Monday, former senator Abdul Rasheed as well as former MNAs Akhonzada Chitan and Haji Gul addressed the participants. Others also spoke on the occasion.
President of the alliance, Maulana Waheed Gul said the leaders were united against the FCR. He said it was a draconian law imposed by the British in 1901, but had since been removed from other parts of the state. He questioned if the FCR was such an effective law in the tribal areas, why was it not implemented all over Pakistan.
JUI-F leader and former senator Maulana Abdul Rasheed said tribal parliamentarians could not participate in the lawmaking process due to the FCR. He said the governor formed his own committee to bring reforms, but its composition clearly showed the purpose of the body was to strengthen the FCR.
PML-N’s Haji Rahat Yousaf also criticised the FCR and demanded its abolition, adding it was a major hurdle for development in Fata. He said peace must be restored in the tribal areas and also demanded local bodies’ elections.
A joint declaration demanded that Fata lawmakers be empowered to introduce legislation. It wants to see past reforms being implemented and asked that the jurisdiction of the superior judiciary be extended to the tribal belt. The alliance also announced a protest in front of the Governor House in Peshawar and Parliament House in Islamabad to press for their demands.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 23rd, 2014.
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What about the other draconian law called Blasphemy Law.