The setting up of Appellate Authority and FATA Tribunal as part of the reformed Frontier Crimes Regulations (FCRs) is in limbo as funds for the recruitments of around 175 personnel for these courts are not available, an official source in FATA Secretariat told Pakistan Today.
According to the reforms or amendments in the FCRs, announced by the president on August 12, judicial and executive powers of political agents or the district coordination officers (DCOs) were separated and it was said that Appellate Authority and FATA Tribunal would be set up where tribal people could challenge the decisions of the political agents or the DCOs and exercise their right to bail.
“The establishment of the Appellate Authority and FATA Tribunal need around 175 appointments. The FATA Secretariat asked the Finance Division for funds for the recruitments, but the Finance Division rejected the demand telling us to review and cut down the estimated figures,” the source said on condition of anonymity.
When Ziaur Rehman, an official of the Ministry of States and Frontier Regions (SAFRON), was contacted, he said he knew that such a proposal, made by FATA Secretariat, was lying with the Finance Division but he was unaware of the Finance Division’s reply. “I only know about the proposal of funds for recruiting around 175 people to staff the Appellate Authority and FATA Tribunal. I do not know how the Finance Division has reacted to the proposal because the FATA Secretariat has directly forwarded it to the Finance Division,” Rehman said.
However, he added that some FATA parliamentarians requested the Ministry of SAFRON to coordinate with the Presidency and seek time from President Asif Ali Zardari for meeting FATA members of parliament.
Asked about could be agenda of the meeting between the president and the FATA members, the official said he did not exactly but likely matters pertaining to FATA development and establishment of Appellate Authority and FATA Tribunal would be discussed.
When Senator Abdul Raziq from FATA was contacted, he said FATA Tribunal and other courts were yet to be formed by the government but certain names regarding appointments in FATA Tribunal were being contemplated by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governor. He also hoped that soon courts would be established and FCRs would be implemented in true spirit.
