Another FATA fiasco

It is no surprise that yet again the government pulled the Fata bill on the morning it was to be debated — 21^st December — to leave yet another yawning pit that joins a string of similarly yawning pits created as it stumbles around in the wilderness. No surprise because a meeting on Wednesday 20^th between a government team and representatives of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) failed to make any headway regarding the merging of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) with K-P regarding the extension of the jurisdiction of the superior courts to the region. On the day before that, Tuesday 19^th there was a meeting between the PM and the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) and the JUI that also got nowhere. The move prompted a walkout by opposition members and the suspension of the session.

Given the complete intransigence of the JUI and the desire of the tribal jirga to hold a referendum on whether or not the tribes-people want a merger with K-P or not, or as some want the creation of a completely separate province now is hardly the time to table a contentious bill. To have got to this point without such a fundamental issue being resolved is a serial folly. Innumerable questions arise regarding the failure to get the principal stakeholders on board before announcing bills that are going to fundamentally affect their lives and culture for generations into the future. The JUI is certainly in the business of political points scoring, letting the government know that it has to be accommodated — but it also has a valid point to make.

All sides appear to agree that a merger between Fata and K-P is by far the best solution — the creation of a separate province is unsustainable — but the matter of courts and the distrust that exists regarding the courts in K-P cannot be left unresolved before any merger goes ahead. If it means pressing the ‘pause’ button before trying to take this forward then so be it. As matters stand the government is hamstrung by the JUI. Time for some creative, possibly even brave — thinking.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 22^nd, 2017.

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