Questioning alliances: Tribal elders, PPP workers protest against Nisar’s statement

Interior minister had said people from FATA are not part of Pakistan

KHAR/ NORTH WAZIRISTAN/ PARACHINAR: Members of Pakistan Peoples Party Parachinar chapter and tribal elders protested against Federal Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar’s claim that the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) is not a part Pakistan.

Nisar made the remarks at a news conference held at his office in Islamabad on January 28.

The protesters gathered Saturday morning to express their outrage against the interior minister’s statement. They said he either needs to apologise or resign from his post.



PPP workers Hamid Hussain, Moeen Bacha, Nusrat Hussain and other tribal leaders said Nisar should acknowledge the sacrifices the tribespeople of Fata have made and are still making to build Pakistan and protect it.

PPP Bajaur Agency also rejected Nisar’s statement regarding Fata and demanded Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif tell him to resign.

Protesters said Nisar is hatching a conspiracy against Pakistan. Former MNA and PPP leader Akhunzada Chattan said people from Fata have made countless sacrifices to create Pakistan and have guarded the western border of the state without expecting anything in return from the state.



“It is disappointing to hear a PML-N minister saying they are not Pakistanis,” he added. Chattan said Fata lawmakers would boycott the Parliament session in protest against Nisar’s statement.

“Nisar needs to apologise for his remarks and submit his resignation or else we will protest in Islamabad as well,” Chattan added.

Similarly, PPP chapter in Mohmand and North Waziristan also organised a protest against Nisar’s statement.

PPP Mohmand chapter President Dr Farooq said Nisar has shown he is only a minister for Punjab and not the rest of Pakistan. Protesters said over 10,000 people from Fata have died and over 5,000 houses have been destroyed in the region. “We question Nisar’s nationality and his alliances as well; he is a puppet of the west,” a PPP member said.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 31^st, 2016.