Call for inclusion: Speakers call for early local body elections in former FATA

Political exclusion makes people of erstwhile tribal areas feel marginalised, devoid of ownership

ISLAMABAD: Merger of Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) with Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) failed to generate a sense of ownership among people of Fata as they continued to feel excluded from the political and democratic process. For social and political inclusion of the people of Fata, the government should immediately hold local body elections so that the people of Fata have the opportunity to play their role in local governance.

Moreover, an effective and reformed judicial system should be implemented gradually. These views were expressed by the speakers at aspecial roundtable titled “Integration of Fata into K-P: The challenges ahead,” organised by Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) on Thursday.

Pakistan People’s Party Parliamentarian (PPPP) former senator Farhatullah Babar said that the way and the speed in which Fata merger bill (also known as Fata Interim Governance Regulation, 2018) was passed raised concerns among political forces. He said that the decision by the then federal cabinet lacked consensus of all stakeholders. He urged the PTI led government to bring a resolution in the assembly stating that the provincial assembly can amend the interim regulations of Fata as per the need and requirement. This will help resolve the controversies around the Fata merger, he added.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Senator Nauman Wazir  said that for past 70 years people of Fata remained marginalised and were not given due attention. He said that whatever happened in Fata has serious implications for Khyber- Pakhtunkhwa.

He said that there is a 90 per cent unemployment rate in Fata, where there are few substantial means and sources of earning a livelihood.

In this scenario, the passage of Fata merger bill was a step forward in the right direction. He urged all political parties not to oppose the Fata merger into Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He said that ensuring finances for Fata should be the top priority of every political party.

Jamiatul-Ulema-e-Islam (F) Senator Atta ur Rehman said that we still have the time to include the indigenous people of Fata in our decision making. He suggested that all the political workers and leaders should sit together for materialising a unanimous way forward for Fata merger and its future.

Awami National Party (ANP) former senator Afrasiab Khattak said that Fata merger was not a big issue, however, the major challenge now is inclusion, which means social, economic and political inclusion. He said that after the Fata merger right now there is no law to govern the region, as the old system was repealed and new interim regulation is not effective till date.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 12^th, 2018.