- Belated, but welcome move
Keeping army deployed in civilian areas for a prolonged period is liable to create problems. In the case of the long neglected tribal region where the population subscribes to its peculiar set of social mores it is all the more necessary not to protract the stay of the army as misunderstandings can overtime develop into grievances. Fata should have been mainstreamed long ago, allowing elected and empowered local governments to look after the day to day affairs of each one of the seven agencies with the help of locally recruited tribal militia duly trained by the army.
Political exigencies led the PML-N government to delay the mainstreaming process despite a consensus having emerged on the issue soon after the Operation Zarb-e-Azb, The party did not want to annoy its allies — the JUP and KPMAP. Political exigencies of another type are now forcing Prime Minister Abbasi to undertake the long neglected exercise post-haste. After inaugurating the new Islamabad airport, Abbasi also wants to have another feather in his cap before the end of the PML-N’s tenure. The way the announcement was welcomed in the NA indicates a sense of relief over the move to implement a much delayed measure
Abbasi has promised to complete the modalities within four weeks. He has also vowed to take the opposition on board. Important decisions have to be taken at the right forums before mainstreaming the region. To start with, Fata has practically no industry, little agriculture and insignificant trade. The region cannot raise enough taxes to sustain its institutions of governance. There would be a need to inject enough funds into the region to invest in infrastructure, education and health, imparting of skills to the youth, helping local population develop agriculture and create conditions to attract the investors, both from inside the region and the rest of the country. The Parliament has already passed a bill seeking to extend the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court and the Peshawar High Court to Fata. The PM needs to move apace to create a consensus on the Fata Reforms Committee’s plan. Besides holding talks with the opposition he also needs to seek the support of the CCI.
