Tribal women reject PM formed committee on FATA reforms

Tribal women rejected the Prime Minister’s formed committee on reforms of Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and called for inclusion of tribal’s representatives particularly of women.

“Keeping the tribal people away from the committee is meant not to repeal Frontier Crimes Regulatory (FCR) and push them into marsh of further backwardness”, they lamented during a protest press conference here at Press Club on Friday.

The tribal women are included Naheed Afridi, Amreeka Bibi, Aesha Hassan, Sakeena Rahman, Noor Jehan hail from Khyber, North Waziristan and Mohmand Agencies respectively. The tribal women are members of Takrha Qabaili Khwaendey (Brave Tribal Women).

The five member committee, they said headed by Adviser to Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs, Sartaj Azizi, Minister for Ministry of States and Frontier Regions (SAFRON), Lt Gen (R) Abdul-Qadar Baloch, Adviser to the PM on National Security Lt Gen (R) Nasir Khan Janjua, Member of National Assembly (MNA) Zahir Hamid and Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Sardar Mehtab Khan Abasi, which they informed had no relation with FATA.

They said none inclusion particularly of women in the committee was against the will of tribal people and termed it as gross violation of citizenship and political representation of people from FATA. The committee members are unaware of the ordeals and troubles of the people of FATA even their tradition and customs, they claimed and added that “Sartaj Aziz is a so-called Pukhtun”.

They made it clear that no committee would be accepted unless tribesmen particularly women be part of it and also not those women would be accepted as member of the committee parachute but those who have been raising voices for women rights in the concerned areas.

They demanded of the federal government to ensure FATA reforms suggested by parliamentarians’ committee including 22th constitutional amendments proposed bill.

The brave women appealed the likeminded civil society organisations to join hands, individuals and political parties to promote and join hands their struggle for gender equity and equality.

“Tribal people are being used by anti-tribal elements”, they alleged that some people sitting in Islamabad did not want prosperous tribal region.

They further demanded inclusion of two women from FATA in committee and also a motorway like road from Mohmand towards South Waziristan agency in order pull them out of difficulties while travelling to each agency.