Universal applicability: Tribespeople in Kurram say FCR irrelevant now

PARACHINAR:

The people of Kurram Agency met at a gathering on Sunday where they demanded Fata’s inclusion in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and an end to the Frontier Crimes Regulation.

“If our rulers consider FCR to be a good law then it should be implemented across the country, otherwise it should be abolished from Fata as well and tribespeople should be freed from this sense of depravation,” a speaker at the event held at Shalozan House organised by Kurram Siyasi Ittehad. Journalists, social workers and members of political parties were also in attendance at the gathering.

All participants were of the view the FCR be abolished and Fata be integrated into K-P. They reiterated previously expressed views on FCR and said the prevalence of such a system in the 21st century was nothing short of an injustice to the tribespeople.

However, just like people in another agencies remain polarised over the possible merger of Fata with K-P and the draconian law, Kurram Agency too sees varying views. A couple of weeks ago, pro-government tribal elders held a jirga to muster support for their stance against the proposed merger. Tribespeople at the jirga also expressed their support for the FCR as they believed it was a suitable for Fata.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 22^nd,  2016.