“We will fulfil the wishes of tribal people, whether they want a separate province or want to become part of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P),” says Muqam PHOTO: Express/Zafar Aslam
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senior Vice President Amir Muqam spelt out the party’s agenda for the tribal areas on Thursday.
During the PML-N Fata Convention attended by party leaders from seven tribal agencies and six Frontier Regions (FRs) held at Peshawar, Muqam announced the agenda and said it would be fulfilled once the party came into power after the general elections.
It was the PML-N’s first major gathering after the extension of the Political Parties Act to Fata. Hundreds of participants from all over the province attended.
“We will fulfil the wishes of tribal people, whether they want a separate province or want to become part of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P),” said Muqam, adding that a local government system with an elected council would be established in Fata. “All powers will be entrusted to the elected council under the party scheme.”
Muqam added PML-N was committed to addressing the issue of administration in the tribal region. He maintained developmental projects would be in the hands of elected representatives, who are accountable to their people instead of political agents.
He also stated the Supreme Court’s writ would be extended to tribal areas to relieve locals of the obsolete justice system under the Frontier Crimes Regulation (FCR) Act and termed the jirga system vital for Fata.
PML-N’s general secretary for K-P, Rahmat Salam Khattak said the party had brought forward the FATA Action in Aid of Civil Power in order to bring changes in the FCR.
Muqam announced a rehabilitation package would also be awarded to raise the collapsed infrastructure in Fata and added the party would consider all options, including talks with the Taliban, to restore peace in the tribal belt.
For the establishment of the party’s Fata Secretariat, Muqam told participants an area on University Road Peshawar had been chosen to serve as the party’s liaison office with tribal areas. He claimed arrangements would be made to ensure adequate representation is given to tribesmen in the provincial and federal cabinets.
Earlier, PML-N leaders from Fata criticised Pakistan Peoples Party and Awami National Party for making false promises, while the situation went from bad to worse under their rule. Those who spoke on the occasion included Faqir Khan, Sohail Afridi, Zar Khan Afridi, Naveed Khan, Khanwada Safi, Nazardin, Dilawar Mehsud, Rahat Yusuf, Sardar Azam Afridi, Naik Amal Khan, Ghalib Wazir, Spin Gul, Malak Ikram and Shahab Uddin.
PML-N leaders also criticised the recent appointment of K-P Governor Shaukatullah Khan, terming it an attempt to rig polls. They demanded tangible steps be taken for the repatriation of tribal people to their respective localities and that military action in Fata be stopped.
The leaders claimed the military operation served only to debase tribesman by bringing their businesses to a halt, destroying their houses, and bringing down the infrastructure in Fata.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 8th, 2013.
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