A file photo of a map of FATA. PHOTO: File
Nine major political parties under the umbrella of the Fata Political Alliance for Rights of Tribal People demanded the government to abolish the Frontier Crimes Regulation (FCR) and merge Federally Administrated Tribal Areas (Fata) into Provincially Administrated Tribal Areas (Pata) of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.
Supporters of the alliance had gathered at the D-Chowk on the call of Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) to raise their voice for people of Fata. They said that it was about time that Fata was made a part of K-P and stop being considered as a buffer zone between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
The protesters also expressed concern over the condition of the internally displaced people (IDPs) who are living deplorable lives in camps and demanded their safe return to their hometowns.
The political parties which participated in the rally included JI, PTI, PPP, ANP, Awami Workers’ Party, Qaumi Watan Party, PML-Q and tribesmen from Fata.
Earlier on November 2, JI held a day-long all parties conference in which majority of the participants assured of their full support to the proposed 22nd Constitutional Amendment.
Opposition parties in parliament also backed a draft constitutional amendment bill submitted in the National Assembly Secretariat, seeking merger of Fata in the Pata of K-P.
While addressing the participants of the rally at D-Chowk, the JI chief Sirajul Haq said that no one has the right to decide the future of the tribal people except them.
ANP secretary general Mian Iftikhar Hussain said: “We will never support the division of Pashtun people and strongly oppose FCR implemented in British-era in Fata.”
Asad Umer of PTI said: “We want government to empower the people of tribal areas by making them a part of K-P.”
Published in The Express Tribune, November 17th, 2015.
COMMENTS (1)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ