PESHAWAR:
While calling for repealing the notorious Frontier Crimes Regulation (FCR) law, Imran Khan has recommended designing a new legal system for the tribal areas beginning with the local government structure.
The head of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) was speaking during an hour-long live question and answer session at Radio Pakhtunkhwa FM 92.2 where K-P Chief Minister Pervaiz Khattak and Information Minister Mushtaq Ghani were also present. The questions were asked by telephone and through social media.
The bar on jurisdiction of superior courts in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas means the FCR is the prime law governing the tribal agencies since its introduction by the British in 1901. One of its most controversial provisions allows a political agent to fix “territorial” and “collective” responsibilities for crimes; whereby, whole tribes are punished for a crime committed by an individual.
Answering questions at the radio station, Imran claimed people around the country were unaware of the changes taking place in K-P under the PTI government. During the Senate polls, he said, all the people were looking at PTI as it was contesting the elections for the first time.
“They were waiting that our MPAs would also be available for sale but the elected MPAs, though offered millions, refused to sell their votes,” he said. “The seven elected senators will properly represent the people of the province in the centre.”
But now, he added referring to the Pakistan Peoples Party and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, the question was whether the Senate would be able to play its role in a situation where the government and the opposition have joined hands.
