Muqam denies move to restore FATA status

ISLAMABAD:

Federal Minister for States and Frontier Regions (SAFRON) Amir Muqam has clarified that the federal government is not separating the districts earlier part of the former Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P).

Addressing a press conference in Islamabad on Monday, Muqam said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has formed a special committee on the merged districts with sincere intentions.

The special committee in its inaugural session on July 1 initiated deliberations on revival of the traditional jirga system in former Fata districts, which were merged with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) province in early 2018 through the 25th Constitutional Amendment.

During the July 1 meeting, Muqam as the chairman of the committee stressed the need for an alternative justice system rooted in tribal customs but aligned with constitutional principles.

The committee also decided to form a sub-committee to draft recommendations and agreed to hold its next session in the K-P's capital, Peshawar.

Explaining the background of the development, the minister said in a jirga held during Shehbaz's recent visit to the K-P, tribal elders from the merged districts told the PM about their issues.

He said the PM later formed a committee which includes representatives from all relevant parties and tasked it with improving the living conditions of the people in the merged districts.

He confirmed that the committee's meeting decided to consult with both current and former parliamentarians on these matters but expressed regret over the opposition's decision to boycott the committee, emphasizing the importance of a unified approach for the development of these areas.

He said laws could be improved but emphasized that no new constitutional amendment was being introduced. "The ruling party in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is fragmented, and currently, no contacts have been made with any political group - though in politics, anything is possible," he noted.

"Decisions will be made in accordance with the aspirations of the people of the merged districts. The committee will engage all stakeholders, including elected representatives, and will work through broad consultations to address tribal concerns and enhance governance in the region," he said.

PTI rejects govt's FATA jirga plan

The PTI rejected the federal government's "unilateral" decision to introduce reforms in the former Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata), calling it malicious and a violation of constitutional principles.

Addressing a press conference at K-P House in Islamabad on Monday, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan said that the committee formed by the federal government regarding Fata is based on bad faith.

"Appointing Amir Muqam as its convener proves it is merely symbolic, as he neither represents Fata nor holds the public mandate from the area," he said.

Gohar pointed out that out of 17 MPAs from the merged districts, 14 belong to the PTI yet they were excluded from the committee, which, he said, is a violation of their constitutional and democratic rights. "The PTI rejects this committee and demands its immediate dissolution," he added.

K-P former governor Shah Farman stated that during the Fata merger, a promise was made that development funds would be disbursed through locally elected representatives. Unfortunately, he said, that promise was not fulfilled.

He noted that Fata MNAs could vote for matters concerning the entire country but not for their own regions, which is deeply regrettable. Farman warned that reviving laws like the Frontier Crimes Regulation (FCR) and restoring settled area privileges is a clear violation of the merger agreement.

MNA Iqbal Afridi said globally, the principle is to first provide facilities and funds before imposing taxes. "In contrast, former Fata has been subjected to taxes without any development schemes or resources."

Afridi said as a member of the SAFRON Committee, he knew that the committee never held a formal consultation changing Fata's status.

Sheikh Waqas Akram said under the guise of "consultation", Fata is being targeted, and the government is trampling constitutional principles. He warned that if decisions are imposed by the government, there will be strong resistance from the people of Fata and the K-P.

He said the federal government owes the people of Fata Rs700 billion, which must be fulfilled over the next three years as promised. Otherwise, it will be another betrayal.

K-P Provincial Law Minister Aftab Alam Khan presented figures, stating that since 2018, only Rs132 billion has been given to former Fata despite a promise of Rs1,000 billion.

He added that even after fencing, peace could not be restored in Fata because when a region is deprived of resources, it moves toward backwardness.

At the end of the press conference, the representatives from merged districts adopted a unanimous stance, asserting that any constitutional amendment, if required, must be undertaken by the K-P provincial government. The federal government has no right to interfere.

We will form our own jirga, and we will not accept any non-representative decisions, they added.