Rights for FATA

Speaking for the rights of Fata has become a trend nowadays. Non-profit organisations have started new initiatives, most of which commence in one five-star hotel hall and end in another.

A grand jirga was formed, in this regard, by the Shaheed Bhutto Foundation, which was addressed by the president himself but my problem here is not with charity organisations but rather with the presence of some 20 legislators from the tribal belt in the National Assembly and Senate.

For the first time in its history, the region saw party-based elections and what reflected on the political maturity of the inhabitants was that almost every party came up with a contestant there.

Seeing the very members of the house — those given high value during intra-parliament elections — unable to enact a single law for their native region is saddening. Most of them can be seen sleeping in the house, to which they are of almost no use, but since the general elections a few members have started asking for their rights. Well technically, most of the time the issues raised concern development funds but the assembly also resonates with the letters F-C-R at times.

The evils of FCR and its rooting out from Fata, as it denies the citizens of Pakistan their fundamental rights, have been discussed by many, at a lot of forums, but in my humble opinion, speaking in the assembly will not do us any good. The beginning of a legislative procedure starting with the tabling of a bill against the now obsolete regulation could. Representing a joint population of millions means that even if the parliament fails to understand the problem, Islamabad could see a much awaited mass mobilisation of the tribesmen asking for their human and constitutional rights.

The cause would be bigger than those mentioned in the D-chowk protests led by Tahirul Qadri, Imran Khan, Hafiz Saeed and many more. Fata needs a change and whoever helps the tribesmen in achieving one will become a good part of the otherwise turbulent history of these times, for sure.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 20^th, 2013.