JUI-F to part ways with govt over FATA reforms

Top civil and military brass puts its weight behind Fata merger

Days before the current government ends its tenure, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam – Fazl (JUI-F) has decided to part ways with the ruling party over the implementation of reforms in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), Express News reported.

Strongly opposing the 13th Amendment Bill, JUI-F chief Fazlur Rehman has termed the reforms a global conspiracy. The JUI-F chief has claimed that the government had backed off from the promise it made with their party for not going ahead with the merger; not going ahead with Rewaj Act and not announcing the national and provincial assembly seats.

The announcement is expected to be made next week.

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government is all set to table the bill about the merger of Fata with Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) despite staunch opposition by two of its major allies, JUI-F and Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP).

In a National Security Committee (NSC) meeting on Saturday, the top civil and military leaders put their weight behind the merger and directed the relevant ministries to take steps in this regard.

“[After] weighing all the pros and cons in detail, the committee endorsed that Fata shall be merged with K-P along with the introduction of the administrative and judicial institutional structures and laws of K-P,” said a declaration issued after the NSC meeting.

The committee also endorsed the provision of additional well-monitored development funds for the Fata region during the next ten years, with the stipulation that those funds would not be re-appropriated to any other area of K-P.