Empowering FATA: legislators to make laws for tribal people

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Speakers here on Wednesday called for empowering the FATA legislators to make laws for betterment of the tribal population in line with their needs and cultural traditions.

Citizens of the FATA demanded the extension of writ of the High Court and Supreme Court to the tribal belt.

Devolution Trust for Community Empowerment (DTCE) organized a policy level workshop on the implementation of Frontier Crime Regulations (FCR) reforms and changes required for future reforms. Key reforms of the FCR is registration of cases, production of accused within 24 hours, implementation on principle of double jeopardy, and exemption from arrest for juvenile under the age of sixteen.

USAID’s Citizens Voice Project Devolution Trust for Community Empowerment (DTCE) and Democratic Education and Accountability (TDEA) are the implementing partners for project titled “Da Khalqo Awaz” (People’s Voice).

The project is aimed at advocacy for effective implementation of the Frontier Crime Regulations (FCR) Reforms.

These legal and political reforms were the first step towards change in FATA.

The speakers including legislators said the people of FATA have the potential of integrating into mainstream of national life.

To ensure basic human rights and access to services, FATA reforms need to be implemented, they added.

They were of the view that the time had come for the tribal people to elect honest and educated representatives.

The speakers included PML-N MNA and Chairman DTCE Daniyal Aziz, MNA Shah Jee Gul Afridi, representative of civil society organization and Ex MNA FATA Akhundzada Chitan and President FATA Lawyer Forum Ijaz Mohmand.