Fazl criticises govt's approach to ex-FATA

PESHAWAR:

JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has said the former tribal districts have long been treated as experimental grounds, adding that there is an ongoing debate in the power corridors to reverse their merger with Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P).

Speaking to the media on Monday, Fazl said nearly a decade had passed since the merger of the former Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) with K-P, but the promised administrative and governance arrangements had yet to be put in place.

He claimed that he had been told at a high level that the merger—which took place in 2018 during the PML-N's rule—was a mistake, questioning who had originally approved the decision and who was now pushing proposals to reverse it.

"The issue today is not constitutional; it is about the resources of the tribal areas," he said, adding that he had repeatedly raised concerns about mineral reserves in the region even before the imposition of governor's rule and emergency measures last month.

Fazl said his party had no objection to the exploration and development of mineral resources but insisted that all agreements concerning the region's natural wealth should be made public.

He further claimed that the United States was showing a growing interest in the region's precious stones, alleging that gemstones had been presented at American offices and that US officials had acknowledged the development.

He also criticised the government's handling of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), saying China had been disappointed while, according to him, the United States was now taking its place.

Questioning the rationale behind the imposition of governor's rule and emergency measures in parts of K-P, the JUI-F chief said these decisions had been justified on the grounds of terrorism, but the narrative surrounding terrorism had subsided after the measures were introduced on October 11.