FATA reforms: Govt to replace FCR with tribal areas rewaj act
Sartaj Aziz says proposals will be presented before both houses of parliament
A map of FATA
ISLAMABAD:
The government has proposed a plan to replace the Frontier Crimes Regulation in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas with a new Tribal Areas Rewaj Act.
This proposed multi-year reforms package for integrating the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) into Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa will be presented to the upper and lower houses of Parliament for debate and adoption.
This was revealed by Prime Minister’s Adviser on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz during a detailed news briefing about their plan at the Foreign Office on Thursday.
FATA reforms integral part of NAP: Nawaz
“Today I met Senate chairperson and speaker of the National Assembly, and now the reforms will be debated in Parliament,” he said.
Aziz heads a committee, constituted by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif last November, to work out a viable reform package to integrate Fata into the mainstream.
Aziz said that they had devised a five-year transition period so that tribes can work with jirgas and rewaj (cultural dispute resolution systems).
Under the proposed reforms, the existing Frontier Crimes Regulation (FCR) will be repealed in favour of the jirga and rewaj systems under the new Tribal Areas Rewaj Act – to be introduced in phases in the areas where it is convenient.
“You cannot change the customary way of justice easily, so it will continue to function along with the newly introduced justice system,” Aziz said, adding that under the rewaj, people can lodge appeals with the formal justice system.
“Party-based local bodies elections should be held in Fata before end of 2017, along with promulgation of Fata local government regulation,” he maintained.
With security one of the key issues, Aziz said that the levies force will be beefed by 20,000. State Minister for Frontier Regions (SAFRON) Lt Gen (retired) Abdul Qadir Baloch added that the army will remain in the tribal areas until the integration process is complete.
“[It may stay] even after if needed be.”
Fate of Fata: PM chairs meeting on Fata reforms today
Tighter border controls
Afghans without proper documentation will no longer be allowed into the country, Aziz told a joint meeting of the Senate Standing Committees on Foreign Affairs and Defence. Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmed Chaudhry said that the new border rules will be introduced at all crossing points with World Bank‘s help.
“This border management is in the interest of both Pakistan and Afghanistan,” he emphasised, adding that Islamabad was speaking to Kabul about this as well.
Talking about tensions with the western neighbour, Aizaz pointed out that Pakistan had refrained from responding to over 60 critical statements from Kabul owing to a policy of reconciliation pursued by the PM. Aziz said that Pakistan had twice tried to find a solution through talks but failed. He added that they were reinforcing four main border points with Afghanistan including Chaman, Torkham, Angur Ada and Ghulam Khan. Wagha on the border with India was also being strengthened.
However, Senator Farhatullah expressed concerns that these four points constituted only a fraction of the over 240 border crossings between Pakistan and Afghanistan, used freely by militants.
Acting Secretary Defence Rear Admiral Mukhtar Khan told the committee that they planned to raise 72 wings of the Frontier Corps for effective management of Pakistan-Afghanistan border.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 26th, 2016.
The government has proposed a plan to replace the Frontier Crimes Regulation in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas with a new Tribal Areas Rewaj Act.
This proposed multi-year reforms package for integrating the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) into Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa will be presented to the upper and lower houses of Parliament for debate and adoption.
This was revealed by Prime Minister’s Adviser on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz during a detailed news briefing about their plan at the Foreign Office on Thursday.
FATA reforms integral part of NAP: Nawaz
“Today I met Senate chairperson and speaker of the National Assembly, and now the reforms will be debated in Parliament,” he said.
Aziz heads a committee, constituted by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif last November, to work out a viable reform package to integrate Fata into the mainstream.
Aziz said that they had devised a five-year transition period so that tribes can work with jirgas and rewaj (cultural dispute resolution systems).
Under the proposed reforms, the existing Frontier Crimes Regulation (FCR) will be repealed in favour of the jirga and rewaj systems under the new Tribal Areas Rewaj Act – to be introduced in phases in the areas where it is convenient.
“You cannot change the customary way of justice easily, so it will continue to function along with the newly introduced justice system,” Aziz said, adding that under the rewaj, people can lodge appeals with the formal justice system.
“Party-based local bodies elections should be held in Fata before end of 2017, along with promulgation of Fata local government regulation,” he maintained.
With security one of the key issues, Aziz said that the levies force will be beefed by 20,000. State Minister for Frontier Regions (SAFRON) Lt Gen (retired) Abdul Qadir Baloch added that the army will remain in the tribal areas until the integration process is complete.
“[It may stay] even after if needed be.”
Fate of Fata: PM chairs meeting on Fata reforms today
Tighter border controls
Afghans without proper documentation will no longer be allowed into the country, Aziz told a joint meeting of the Senate Standing Committees on Foreign Affairs and Defence. Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmed Chaudhry said that the new border rules will be introduced at all crossing points with World Bank‘s help.
“This border management is in the interest of both Pakistan and Afghanistan,” he emphasised, adding that Islamabad was speaking to Kabul about this as well.
Talking about tensions with the western neighbour, Aizaz pointed out that Pakistan had refrained from responding to over 60 critical statements from Kabul owing to a policy of reconciliation pursued by the PM. Aziz said that Pakistan had twice tried to find a solution through talks but failed. He added that they were reinforcing four main border points with Afghanistan including Chaman, Torkham, Angur Ada and Ghulam Khan. Wagha on the border with India was also being strengthened.
However, Senator Farhatullah expressed concerns that these four points constituted only a fraction of the over 240 border crossings between Pakistan and Afghanistan, used freely by militants.
Acting Secretary Defence Rear Admiral Mukhtar Khan told the committee that they planned to raise 72 wings of the Frontier Corps for effective management of Pakistan-Afghanistan border.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 26th, 2016.