The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly on Monday asked the federal government to make necessary amendments to the constitution to extend the jurisdiction of superior courts to the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA).Members from both treasury and opposition benches jointly moved the resolution which was passed unanimously. Law Minister Imtiaz Shahid, ANP’s Syed Jaffar Shah, QWP’s Anisa Zeb Tahirkheli, PML-N’s Sardar Aurangzeb Nalutha, JI’s Habibur Rehman, PTI’s Ziaullah Afridi, JUI-F’s Maulana Azmatullah and PPP’s Syed Mohammad Ali Shah Baacha signed it.
The resolution states that tribesmen are the guardians of Pakistan’s western frontiers and the ongoing insurgency has increased their problems.
“Tribesmen left their homes on several occasions on the call of the government due to the law and order situation and faced immense problems.”
It went to add that people of tribal areas are deprived of their basic constitutional rights as they have no access to job opportunities, health and education facilities and communication infrastructure.
Through the resolution, the House asked the provincial government to recommend to the federal government that the jurisdiction of superior courts should be extended to FATA, so its residents have access to the judiciary and their rights are protected.
Lawmakers also called for the establishment of educational institutions such as medical and cadet colleges as well as a women’s university for FATA’s residents, and the establishment of an industrial estate to create jobs.
“The government should also introduce the local government system in the region,” the resolution added.
