QUETTA – The members of ‘Joint Committee on Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA)’ have stressed the need of immediate reforms, which also include the economic packages.
They said the political parties agreed that the people of FATA deserved equal opportunities of freedom, safety and economic progress like the citizens living in other parts of Pakistan.
The demands were repeated during a joint press conference at the Quetta Press Club on Saturday by Hashim Babar of Awami National Party, Sahibzada Haroon Rashid of Jamaat-e-Islami, Asif Hasnain of Muttahida Qaumi Movement, Jan Buledi of National Party, Akram Shah of Pashtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party, Anwar Kamal Marwat of Pakistan Muslim League-N, Faqir Muhammad of PML-Q, Mirza M Jihadi of Pakistan People’s Party and Asad Afridi of PPP-Sherpao.
They said there was a complete consensus that the reforms in FATA were need of the hour where the people were not enjoying even the basic democratic and human rights.
They vowed to work with the tribesmen for achieving their equal right and said a durable peace was not only the need of the people in FATA but it also guaranteed harmony and security in other areas of Pakistan as well.
They appealed President Asif Ali Zardari for extending Political Parties Order 2002 and the reforms announced on August 14, 2009 to FATA. The political leaders suggested formulating an economic package and a line of action with the consultation of the committee consisting ten political parties to bridge the economic disparity prevailing between FATA and other parts of the country.
