Government must revisit FATA reforms in consultation with people: Fazlur Rehman

Says government is confused about reforms

PESHAWAR: The federal government must revisit the FATA reforms process in consultation with the people in the tribal areas, chief of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) Maulana Fazlur Rehman said on Monday.

Speaking at a press briefing here after meeting with a tribal Jirga, Fazl said that the Jirga had decided to set up the Fata Supreme Council to formulate future strategies on Fata reforms.

“Jirga members agree to support the call for creating the Fata Supreme Council and revisiting the entire reforms process,” he said, adding, that the Jirga would cooperate with the government if it was ready to reconsider the reforms mechanism.

The government, he said, was confused about the reforms as it initially decided to merge Fata into Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa but later they came up with another mechanism for mainstreaming tribal areas.

Similarly, he reminded, the government suggested imposing the Riwaj Act in Fata, but later avoided implementing it and again decided to merge the region into K-P.

“The government appears to be confused about what to do with the Fata region … The Fata Supreme Council will cooperate with the government for a better future of the tribal belt.”

JUI-F, he insisted, would keep away from the council’s decision-making process, adding that the Jirga included representatives from all tribal regions in Fata.