FATA’s merger into K-P demanded by 2018

Governor Jhagra has said reforms in the tribal areas will be made in accordance with the aspirations of tribal people

PESHAWAR: The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government has demanded the Federally Administered Tribal Areas be merged into the province before the next general elections, in 2018, so the tribal areas would have representation in the next provincial assembly.

The demand was one of many put forward by the K-P government when provincial representatives met the FATA Reforms Committee which, according to officials, was “unscheduled and a surprise”. Adviser to CM Mushtaq Ghani told The Express Tribune political leadership of the province was of the opinion the province should have been made part of the committee.

In its final report, the committee had stated that Fata’s merger with K-P was the only viable option.

Governor Iqbal Zafar Jhagra has said reforms in the tribal areas will be made in accordance with the aspirations of the tribal people and to do this, every possible means will be applied, a statement issued by the governor’s secretariat read.

Adviser to Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz, who was also present at the meeting, was quoted as saying that steps in the agenda that were under way were of land reforms, replacement of FCR with Tribal Areas Rewaj act, extension of the judiciary in the first phase and the local government act. Four people — who attended the meeting and approached by The Express Tribune — were of the opinion that phase-wise process for the merger could have consequences for the entire reforms agenda.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 8^th, 2016.