According to the minister, major complex issues still lingered such as the matter of policing.
PHOTO: EXPRESS
Speaking at a press conference here, he said that this was a provincial subject and hence the provincial government will issue the ordinance.
Commenting on the outcome of the meeting of the federal committee on implementation of the merger, he said that the meeting had decided to devise a legal framework for maintaining peace and ensuring good governance in tribal districts and sub-divisions.
“Members of both committees formed at the federal and provincial levels will meet on Wednesday in Peshawar and they will most likely take several decisions regarding post-merger Fata,” Zafar said.
The ordinance, he said, would cover major issues pertaining to the now defunct Fata region.
“It (the ordinance) will elaborate a timeline about (promised) funding from the Centre to provincial government for Fata. Moreover, it will also have details regarding various taxation measures, including sales tax, income tax and customs duties. The draft has already been prepared,” he said.
Caretakers take measures to speed FATA-KP merger
According to the minister, major complex issues still lingered such as the matter of policing.
“The Levies force is likely to be converted into a police force and this will take time,” he maintained, adding that the KP police would assist them in this regard.
The legislation, he said, was not a permanent solution, but a stopgap arrangement.
When asked about upcoming polls, he said that there was no doubt that the general election “must be held free and fair”.
Actions taken by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) were not the concern of the caretaker government and as such, these institutions “are just doing their job”.
“The caretaker set-up cannot intervene in any trial or case in any court,” he said.
Responding to another querry, he said that placing former prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s name of the Exit Ontrol List (ECL) served no purpose at all because he was already out of the country.
“This issue can be looked into once he returns to the country by the relevant committee which deals with such matters,” he said.
FATA to integrate secretariat into K-P
Referring to the ongoing water crisis in the country, he said that a meeting would be held this week for building new dams in the country.
“Dams are relegated to cold storage because of lack of consensus,” he said, adding funding was not an issue in this regard.
The meeting in the ministry was attended, among others, by the secretaries for States and Frontier Regions (SAFRON) and Planning and representatives of the army, the Prime Minister’s Office, the secretaries finance and home of KP and officials of the federal ministry of law.
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