F.P. Report
PESHAWAR: Speakers during a grand Jirga asked PML-N led federal government to merge FATA into Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and extend Peshawar high court jurisdiction to tribal areas instead of Islamabad high court.
A unanimous announcement was issued during a grand Jirga held under the aegis of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Sami (JUI-S) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chapter in Peshawar, asking central government to award the status of Chief Executive to Chief Minister KP. It urged government to abrogate Frontier Crimes Regulations (FCR), a colonial oppressive law imposed in tribal areas since 1901.
The announcement said that jurisdiction of high court and Supreme Court to be extended on priority basis along with giving representation to people of tribal belt in 2018 general polls to elect their candidates for provincial assembly. It further said that all basic rights enshrined in constitution of Pakistan should be bestowed to tribespeople.
Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pervez Khattak, Provincial Minister Shah Farman, JUI-S Central Ameer, Maulana Samiul Haq, ANP leaders Mian Iftikhar Hussain, Sardar Hussain Babak, MNA Alhaj Shahje Gul Afridi, Professor Ibrahim Khan, Haroonur Rasheed of Jamaat-e-Islami and a large number of political supporters were also in attendance.
“An amendment in law was made in an hour to protect the disqualified former PM Nawaz Sharif but unfortunately the same could not take place in decades to provide basic and fundamental rights to tribesmen” said Chief Minister KP while addressing participants on the occasion. He informed his party has asked government to conduct elections to give representation to FATA people in 2018 but the latter was using delaying tactics.
His party and government will patronize representatives of tribal belt in seeking representation in KP assembly if all of you are agree, he asserted. It depends upon the tribesmen that either they want representation in provincial assembly in 2018 or 2023. If someone denies awarding constitutional rights to tribesmen, then they (tribesmen) should stand up against it and snatch the rights at all cost, he advised.
The matters relating to tribes people were shelved since last 70 years and these people have protected and offered sacrifices for safeguarding geographical boundaries of the country, said Maulana Samiul Haq, Central Ameer JUI-S while talking to Jirga. He asked leaders of political and religious parties to get united over FATA issue and build consensus regarding it.
Citing the worsening law and order condition in the country, he explained that owing to poor policies, an alien war was brought to the soil and it firstly targeted tribesmen. Because of uncertainty and terrorism, more than 02 million people were displaced from their hometowns and compelled to reside in safer areas, he stated.
A former parliamentary leader of FATA representatives, Alhaj Shahje Gul Afridi, in his address hoped they would get freedom in coming days and get rid of FCR a black law. Regarding the federal government, he said it was reluctant not interested to bring tribal areas into mainstream due to two political parties.
He categorically said they had put three main demands before the central government including extension of high court and Supreme Court jurisdiction, giving three per cent share in National Finance Commission (NFC) and representation in KP assembly in 2018 polls. He warned they would march towards Islamabad on 9th October if government fails to accept the demands.
Haroonur Rasheem of Jamaat-e-Islami, Mian Iftikhar Hussain and Sardar Hussain Babak of ANP, elders of tribal areas and other political parties also delivered their speeches on the occasion and stressed the government to implement the FATA reforms package forthwith.
