ISLAMABAD: Lawmakers from Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) have developed a consensus on the merger of tribal areas with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), State Minister for States and Frontier Regions (SAFRON) Ghalib Khan said on Thursday.
Talking to the media, he said that the parliamentarians were unanimous on FATA reforms and the merger with KP would bring prosperity, peace and end the prevailing sense of deprivation in the area.
He said that the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court (SC) and Peshawar High Court (PHC) should be extended to FATA. He added that the government had assured FATA merger with KP within the next 5 to 10 years period.
Speaking on the occasion, MNA Shah Jee Gul Afridi said that the MNAs and the senators of FATA were on one page regarding FATA reforms and merger with KP. He demanded three per cent share for FATA from National Finance Commission Award (NFC) as it will ensure the provision of health and education facilities.
Criticising double taxation in FATA, he said tribesmen will favour the merger if their long-standing demands of permit and transit tax are waived off.