PESHAWAR: With the passage of the bill from National Assembly extending the jurisdiction of superior judiciary to tribal areas, the FATA reforms process has entered a new phase but any further delays in its passage from the Senate may jeopardise the whole process and increase the frustration and deprivation of the people of these neglected tribal areas.
The conference titled “FATA Reforms: Current trends and the way forward” discussed at length the progress on the FATA reforms process following the passage of the bill by the National Assembly on January 12. The conference was attended by representatives of student unions, women forums, legal fraternity, academia, political experts, the business community, professionals and media men beside a large number of members of the civil society.
Referring to the recent Pashtun uprising, the speakers urged the government to take immediate steps for the early implementations of the FATA reforms and address the rising frustrations of the people of FATA at the earliest. Otherwise, they warned, this will not only be the tribal belts and Pashtuns who will bear the brunt of consequences, it will be the entire country.
Counting the causes of delay, the speakers equally blamed the mainstream political parties, FATA lawmakers and the treasury benches for their failure to make the reforms process swift. Some of the speakers also urged the government to revisit Pakistan’s Afghan policy.
FATA Political Alliance President Asad Afridi stressed the need for holding local body elections at the earliest. He said that including the marginalised people in the political and decision-making process will give the people of the area a sense of ownership and they will start supporting the system which they are a part of.
“This will further strengthen the state-citizen ties,” Asad Afridi said.
FATA Lawyer’s Forum President Ijaz Mohammad said that the extension of the jurisdiction of superior courts to FATA should be accompanied by setting up subordinate courts and a total repeal of Article 247 and 246 of the Constitution. Mere the extension of superior courts to FATA would make no sense, he argued.
FATA Youth Jirga President Adnan Shinwari while taking the discussion further said that the issue was not that of political will or capacity but of promoting personal agendas and gains. He added that the provinces were ready for allocating their share in the NFC award but a lack of consensus on methodology and mechanism on how to utilise the funds was a major challenge.
“This has put the rival political forces at loggerheads with each other and damaging the greater cause,” he added.
