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QWP chief says delay in FATA reforms ‘unexplainable’
PESHAWAR: The two leading politicians of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Awami National Party Chairman Asfandyar Wali Khan and Qaumi Watan Party chief Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao have reaffirmed their stance on the merger of Federally Administrative Tribal Areas (FATA) with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which according to them is the “voice of majority tribesmen.”
Both the leaders reaffirmed their stance on the future of FATA during separate meetings with delegates of FATA youth jirga on Sunday. First, the delegates headed by Shaukat Aziz held a meeting with Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao at Watan House University Town Peshawar; later, they proceeded to Wali Bagh Charsada.
#ANP’s President #AsfandyarWaliKhan meeting with #FATA’s youth jarga in #WaliBagh. #MergeFATAwithPakhtunkhwa #RejectRiwajAct #AbolishFCR https://t.co/mFASadq5Oa
— Bushra Gohar (@BushraGohar) November 5, 2017
The delegates briefed both the nationalist politicians of their common demands and miseries, saying that it is the time to build up pressure on the government for early constitutional amendment or an executive order regarding the merger of FATA with KP.
At the moment, there exists a wide range of unrest amongst tribesmen regarding their future, as the two leading politicians are opposing the wish of majority tribesmen.
In response to jirga’s demands and proposals, Asfandyar recalled, “ANP was the first ever political force which has not only raised voice against outdated Frontier Crimes Regulations (FCR) but also suggested FATA-KP merger.”
In this connection, the ANP MP’s have moved a resolution in previous Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, and also convened a number of All Parties Conferences (APC), he added.
Similarly, QWP chairman, who has repeated his demand for early merger of FATA with KP, said, “FATA-KP merger would not only stamp out the black laws of the colonial eras, but it would also open up new vistas of developmental for the tribal people.”
Sherpao stated that people living in the tribal areas want the two regions to be merged, adding that the delay in the FATA reforms is unjustifiable.
He went on to say that he is willing to take up the matter with Jamaat Ulema Islam-Fazl and Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party, who are opposing the merger.
In addition, Sherpao highlighted the importance of conducting a census in the region.
It is pertinent to mention here that before meeting both Asfandyar Wali Khan and Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao, the youth jirga held similar sittings with Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan and Jamaat-i-Islami Amir Sirajul Haq in Islamabad couple of days back. Both the leaders endorsed their demand for early merger of FATA with KP, as well as the extension of Peshawar High Court’s jurisdiction to FATA with immediate effect.
