Making plans: Jirga urges govt to hold LG elections in tribal areas

Demands provision of Rs200 billion for rehabilitation of the area.

PESHAWAR: The FATA Political Alliance on Monday asked the government to hold local government elections in the tribal areas and release a development package worth Rs200 billion for reconstruction and rehabilitation.

The demands were made at a jirga held at Bacha Khan Markaz, the Awami National Party’s (ANP) secretariat. The jirga was attended by leaders from Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, Pakistan Peoples Party, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl, Jamaat-e-Islami, Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid and the Qaumi Watan Party.



ANP leader Abdul Latif Afridi told the media the jirga discussed restoration of peace, stability and rehabilitation of Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) and holding local body elections in tribal areas as the ones being held in the rest of the country.

He said the jirga had unanimously asked the federal government for a provision of Rs200 billion to rehabilitate war-affected areas and displaced residents.

Afridi added the jirga further demanded the provision of basic human rights be ensured for the people of Fata and the draconian laws which have enslaved them for years be abolished.

The leaders agreed to hold a grand Fata convention on December 21 in Peshawar wherein they would ask the government to listen to their demands and if the convention did not yield any result they would protest against the prime minister and president in Islamabad.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 26^th, 2013.