Tribal elders demand reversal of Fata merger

JAMRUD: Several tribal elders here on Friday voiced their opposition to the merger of tribal areas into Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and said that tribal customs and traditions could not be forsaken.

At a press conference in the Jamrud Press Club, Malik Naseer Ahmed, Malik Bismillah Khan, Malik Wazir, Yousuf Khan, and Malik Naseer Ahmed stated that the integration had been enforced upon them without considering the sentiments and preferences of the tribal people.

He underscored the adverse impact of the merger on the traditional jirga system, stating that it had been severely undermined.“We categorically reject the current system and vow to protest against it through every available means,” declared Naseer Ahmed.

The elders called upon the Supreme Court to expedite the decision-making process on the merger by convening a full court bench to address the matter comprehensively and promptly.They announced plans for a grand jirga of elders from all tribal districts scheduled to take place at Bab-e-Khyber on May 8.

They said that during the gathering, the elders would outline a future course of action to safeguard tribal customs and traditions while advocating for the restoration of the old system.