ISLAMABAD: Jamaat-e-Islami, Pakistan chief Senator Sirajul Haq has welcomed the passage of the FATA Bill by the National Assembly and greeted the people of tribal areas on this landmark achievement.
In a statement here on Thursday, he said that with the passage of the FATA Bill, the tribal people had won freedom for the second time after 1947. He added that the new law would open the door of development for tribal areas and the people would be free from the black and colonial era FCR.
He said that the FCR was a British legacy but all the past governments in the country retained it for the last seventy years. He added that the tribal people had been demanding abolition of the FCR since long and their demand had been finally met.
Sirajul Haq also congratulated the JI leaders and workers from tribal areas who had kept the issue alive by holding rallies and public meetings, sit-ins and through all other means.
On the other hand, lawmakers on Thursday termed the 31st amendment about merger of FATA with Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa a welcoming step and landmark decision.
Talking to APP, Senator Rana Mehmoodul Hasan said that a sense of deprivation had developed among the people of FATA, adding that the current status would help them move into the national mainstream.
Former PPP Senator Sehar Kamran said that FATA reforms bill was a historic move which would bring about development and prosperity in the area.
Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed said that passing of the bill was a historic day for the country, adding that the PML-N government had resolved a long-standing demand of the FATA people.
Member National Assembly Nasir Iqbal Bosal said that the demand of the people of FATA had finally been fulfilled by the PML-N government. He said that extension of superior courts’ jurisdiction was a long-standing demand of the people of FATA which had been met by the incumbent federal government.
According to the bill, the powers of President of Pakistan and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa governor regarding FATA would no longer be effective while it would also abolish the Frontier Crimes Regulation (FCR), which was constituted in 1901.
After passing of the bill, the FCR would be abolished and Peshawar High Court (PHC) and Supreme Court jurisdiction would be extended to FATA. The FATA people would be given same judicial rights being enjoyed all citizens of the country.
ANP GREETS NATION:
Awami National Party (ANP) central leader Asfandyar Wali Khan Thursday greeted nation over passage of 31st constitutional amendment by the National Assembly approving FATA merger into Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
In a statement issued here, he said it was a historic day that the National Assembly has approved the 31st amendment and gave right to FATA people, adding that FATA merger would ensure peace in the country and strengthening of the state.
He said that FATA people bore huge losses and faced several difficulties and time has come to start development work in FATA on emergency basis to bring prosperity in these areas and give a better life to the people.
Afandyar said that ANP leaders and elders did their best to get this amendment approved and today the longstanding demand of FATA people comes true. He also hoped that every coming day would be peaceful and prosperous for them.
