Committee to visit tribal agencies to decide FATA’s fate

Strong likelihood that Kurram, Bajaur agencies could be first to be merged with K-P

PESHAWAR:

A five-member committee will be visiting all seven tribal agencies from January to reach a consensus on the fate of the tribal belt. Speaking to The Express Tribune, lawmakers from the Federally Administered Tribal Areas said the committee was constituted by the prime minister to determine the fate of the region.

According to the MNAs, there is a strong likelihood that Kurram and Bajaur agencies could be the first to be merged with Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. This is because the law and order situation and the level of development in both agencies are comparatively better than the other five agencies.



The committee – headed by Adviser to PM on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz– met lawmakers from Fata in Islamabad to begin deliberations to decide the future of the region.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz Bajaur MNA Shahabuddin Khan told The Express Tribune there was a three-point agenda to the meeting. “We discussed whether Fata should be made an independent province, merged with K-P or governed under an administrative council,” Shahabuddin said.

He added, “The idea of a council was dropped. However, the meeting was conducive.”

A matter of will

According to the MNA, the committee assured lawmakers no decision will be made against their will.



“As a result, the committee will be visiting all seven tribal areas from January onwards,” he said. “They will meet tribal leaders and political leaders.”

Shahabuddin also requested them to meet those elders who had migrated from the area.

Another lawmaker from Fata, who requested anonymity, said only one member of the delegation was in favour of establishing an administrative council.

“A majority of them were not well-prepared for the discussion,” he added.

Seeking objectivity

In the opening session of the meeting, Aziz briefed participants about the importance of the moot as well as the scope of the committee.



“The criticism that the government’s notified committee did not include anyone from the tribal areas was raised by Shahjee Gul Afridi, an MNA from Khyber Agency,” said the lawmaker.

He added, “Members informed him that if any sitting MNAs or senators were included in the committee, it would be rendered partial in its decision. They said the committee had to be independent.”

Talking points

Sajid Hussain Turi, an MNA from Kurram Agency, told The Express Tribune there was consensus at the meeting that Fata should be integrated into K-P.

“It is difficult for Fata to remain an independent province because of the lack of resources,” he said.

The lawmaker also added members of the committee discussed whether to use Kurram and Bajaur as “pilot projects”. In addition, participants also discussed whether to increase the number of constituencies in Fata.

“We need to give the future generations hope [that] the age of war is over” he said.

According to Turi, MNAs were also asked to submit their proposals soon and another consultative meeting was on the cards over the next 15 days.

Both lawmakers maintained there was a consensus that the age of the Frontier Crimes Regulation (FCR) had ended and the only solution is to merge the area into the rest of the country. They insisted this matter was endorsed by the committee.

The five-member committee was constituted by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif after lawmakers from the tribal areas submitted the proposed 22nd Constitutional Amendment Bill in the National Assembly.

The proposed bill sought to include Fata into K-P by changing its status to the Provincially Administered Tribal Areas.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 11^th,  2015.