Bringing FATA into the mainstream

Although Fata parliamentarians are theoretically members of parliament, they have no power of legislation and are bound by Article 247, Clause 7, of the Constitution and thus are unable to legislate like other lawmakers in the country’s parliament.

These Fata ‘lawmakers’ have submitted a bill in the lower house, demanding an end to Article 247 of the Constitution that governs matters pertaining to the tribal areas. They have also demanded the merging of Fata into Pata (Provincially Administrated Tribal Areas). The bill states that the jurisdiction of high courts and the Supreme Court be extended to Fata, as well as basic human rights be given to the inhabitants of the tribal areas.

Fata shares a border with Afghanistan on one side and on the other with Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), and is run by the K-P governor through a political administration, comprising the chief secretary of K-P and political agents. K-P also provides staff from its health, education and communication departments to Fata — and yet Fata is not a part of K-P.

Many have welcomed the new bill and demanded that it be passed. However, a tribal jirga led by a former MNA, and some retired bureaucrats have opposed it on the grounds that these parliamentarians have no right to move the bill. They think the matter should be decided through a jirga or a referendum. It is not clear what views members of such a jirga would hold about the 1973 Constitution and its amendments by the lawmakers of Pakistan.

Thanks to Operation Zarb-e-Azb, most of Fata is in a much better position today with regard to the security situation and the border with Afghanistan now has strong military vigilance. The need of the day is a strong and vigilant administration to maintain stability in the region, including that part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor route which links Pakistan with Afghanistan and other Central Asian republics.

Fata has undergone much suffering over the decades and it is high time that it be brought into the mainstream. Its residents are owed the same rights as Pakistanis belonging to other parts of the country. Our policy vis-a-vis Fata must not be defined by those who have selfish interests.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 24^th, 2015.