Wanting a merger: FATA Political Alliance sit-in continues for third consecutive day

The protest camp has become a draw for political leaders and stalwarts who come and address the protesters

PESHAWAR:

Activists of various political parties continued their sit-in in front of Peshawar Press Club for the third consecutive day on Wednesday in a bid to force the government to merge the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) with Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. They also demanded legal, political, constitutional and basic human rights for people from the tribal areas.

The protest camp has become a draw for political leaders and stalwarts who come—photo opportunity or not—and address the protesters. In their speeches, they support the demands of the FATA Political Alliance for the merger and for tribespeople to get equal rights. Visiting politicians comment on the existing status quo, without the end of which no one can end violence and militancy.

Former provincial minister Rahim Dad Khan, Pakistan Peoples Party members, Syed Ayub Shah and Awami National Party leader Sardar Babak, erstwhile Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf member and MPA Yaseen Khalil, and former MPA Shazia Aurangzeb were among those who visited the FATA Political Alliance camp.

Akhunzada Chattan, Sheikh Jehanzada, Shah Hussain Shinwari, Imran Afridi, Jamaat-e-Islami members Sahibzada Haroonur Rashid, Shah Faisal Afridi and Zar Noor Afridi, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf member Iqbal Afridi, FATA Lawyers Forum member Ijaz Mohmand, and Rahim Shah Afridi were among those who have been at the sit-in.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 18^th,  2016.