The federal government is set to introduce reforms in the Frontier Crimes Regulation (FCR) with President Asif Ali Zardari ready to sign the FCR (Amendment) and Extension of Political Parties Act 2002 to FATA today. Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani would also address the signing ceremony to be held here at the Presidency, while parliamentarians and tribal elders from FATA would also be attending the ceremony.
In a bid to separate judicial and executive powers vested in the authority of a political agent in FATA, the government would ensure for the first time that the people of FATA have the right to appeal against decisions of the political agent. The amended FCR, to be called Frontier Crimes (Amendment) Regulation of 2011, would be clubbed together with the presidential order to extend the Political Parties Act of 2002 to FATA under the FATA Reforms Package, an official source said.
“In order to provide a right to appeal against the decisions of a political agent and district coordination officer (DCO), an appellate authority shall comprise of a district and session judge or a person qualified to be appointed a district and sessions judge,” states the amended FCR, a copy of which is available with Pakistan Today.
