For a better future: Experts discuss FATA’s integration, reconstruction

Security, economic development, and rehabilitation issues highlighted.


News Desk August 05, 2015
PHOTO: FILE

The Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) are a keystone of our national security and are faced with myriad security, political and economic challenges.

These views were expressed by Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI) Director-General (DG) Ambassador Masood Khan at a seminar titled ‘FATA: Stability, Integration and Reconstruction.’

The one day event was hosted by ISSI on Tuesday, said a press release.

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Governor Sardar Mehtab Ahmed Khan Abbasi said that the processes of stability, integration and reconstruction are co-related and simultaneous on the path of progress. He said that in Fata, reconstruction not only means rebuilding the damaged public sector infrastructure but private properties and livelihoods as well.

Speaking about the process of Fata’s integration, he said that integration should be broadly divided into two categories: administrative and political.

The governor also highlighted Indian designs in Fata, expressing that they are no more a secret. He said that Iran has invested in Fata for its own strategic interests while the US has been a dominant player in geo-strategic chessboard of the region.

He welcomed China as a new entrant who, he observed, will assert itself to protect its economic and security interests.

Lt Gen (retd) Talat Masood spoke on political dimensions and the media’s role. He endorsed the fact that the fate of Fata should be decided by locals. Media should be able to cover the problems associated with the people of Fata, he added.

FATA Reforms Commission Chairman Ejaz Ahmed Qureshi informed that promoting peace, ensuring justice, and participation of people in policymaking are the main approaches adopted by the commission.

ISSI Research Fellow Amina Khan talked about the future of Fata, and suggested four options: merging Fata with K-P, Fata as an independent province, following the Gilgit-Baltistan model, or continuing with the status quo.

Concluding the session, ISSI Chairman Board of Governors Ambassador Khalid Mahmood said there is a need to mainstream the people of Fata not just culturally but politically and as citizens of Pakistan.

Masood informed that this is first of a series of seminars that the institute intends to hold on Fata, saying that the next one would be held in Peshawar.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 6th, 2015.

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