PESHAWAR: Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) head Aftab Sherpao on Saturday asked the government to merge the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) into Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Addressing a gathering in Wadpaga village here, he said the tribal people had cultural, social, economic and political affiliations with the residents of KP.
Aftab Sherpao added that the people of Fata were also in favour of the merger of the tribal areas with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
He said some of the representatives of Fata in the National Assembly also wanted the tribal areas to be absorbed into the province.
The QWP leader said the rulers were exploiting the resources of the Pakhtuns while they were running from pillar to post to make ends meet.
“Conspiracies are being hatched to divide the Pakhtuns to usurp their rights, but we will not allow anybody to deprive the Pakhtuns of their rights,” he vowed.
Aftab Sherpao said his party was striving to help the Pakhtuns secure their rights. “I will spare no efforts to bring the Pakhtuns populated areas on a par with the rest of the country,” he added.
The QWP chief said the people of Fata were also faced with a host of problems. “We are committed to working for the wellbeing of the tribal people as they are grappling with a myriad of issues,” he maintained.
Aftab Sherpao criticised the federal government for delaying the payment of the arrears of the net hydel profit to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
He said the Pakhtun belt was being ignored and no major development project had been earmarked under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. “Such attitude will create more deprivation among the smaller units of the federation,” he cautioned.