PM goes ahead with FATA mainstreaming plan

–National Security Committee approves plan ahead of the announcement

–Modalities of the plan to be sorted out within next four weeks

–Additional Rs1000 billion required for FATA development in next ten years

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Wednesday assured the members of the National Assembly (NA) that his party’s government would complete the unfinished agenda of mainstreaming the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and due to the sensitivity of the matter, the government would complete the task in consultation with all the stakeholders.

The assurance came following a crucial meeting of the National Security Committee headed by the prime minister at the PM’s Office. The announcement came on heels of prime minister’s visit to North Waziristan Agency on Monday where the prime minister, along with Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa, had inaugurated Ghulam Khan Trade Route and also launched the Miranshah Bazaar.

It is worth mentioning that PM Abbasi’s decision to go for the mainstreaming of FATA is in conflict with his party leader and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s decision who had directed to hold the process after the leaders of two coalition partners – Maulana Fazlur Rehman and Mehmood Achakzai – had threatened to part ways with the government if FATA mainstreaming was allowed to go ahead.

Sources in the ruling party believe that the army chief had convinced the prime minister to go ahead with the FATA mainstreaming plan as delaying it was badly disappointing to the tribal youth. The sources added that foreign elements with vicious intent were involved in misleading the disgruntled youth of tribal regions with vicious propaganda.

Speaking in the NA on a point of order, the prime minister said there were no two opinions over bringing the FATA people into the political mainstream and some meetings had been held in this regard earlier in the day.

However, the prime minister said that the modalities of the mainstreaming plan would be sorted out within the next four weeks in consultation with the opposition parties so that all the legal and constitutional requirements could be met.

“Today certain decisions were made which would further expedite the process with mentioning of the time frame. We feel that the process should be completed within the remaining period of this parliamentary tenure as we want the parliament to play its role,” he added.

In a run-up to the implementation of the FATA mainstreaming plan, the prime minister said that the Agency Development Fund was being abolished.

“Local Bodies’ elections in FATA would be held before October so that the people living in those areas could get their representation at local levels whereas the modalities for the election process of the parliament and provincial assemblies would also be finalised in consultation with all the political stakeholders to avoid any controversy,” the prime minister said.

He said that the leader of the opposition, as well as all the parliamentary leaders, would be taken into confidence over the implementation of FATA reforms. He also mentioned that jurisdiction of the Supreme Court (SC) and the high courts had already been extended to FATA.

PM Abbasi also acknowledged the sacrifices of the personnel of the law enforcement agencies, civilians and the locals. The prime minister said all the political parties and the people across the country were on one page over the issue.

He stressed that the mainstreaming process was the main desire of the people of FATA. He said that in terms of the development of FATA, the tribal regions would be brought at par with other parts of the country. He further said that for that purpose, Rs1000 billion would be required for development in FATA during the next ten years in addition to the current allocations for tribal regions. The government is committed to providing all required funds for that purpose, he added.