Tribal elders reject proposed Fata reforms

PESHAWAR: Rejecting the proposed recommendations of the Fata Reforms Committee, the tribal elders on Tuesday said that any attempt to impose decisions on tribespeople from outside would be strongly resisted

Speaking at a news conference at the Peshawar Press Club, chief of Fata Grand Alliance, Malik Khan Marjan, said the Fata Reforms Committee didn’t consult the tribal elders before submitting its recommendations to the federal government.

He said instead of following the framework proposed by the reforms committee, the government should constitute a Fata legislative council and tasked it to carryout legislations within one year.

Malik Khan Marjan said that Fata Secretariat and political administration should be made accountable before the council.He said that tribespeople had no representation on the reforms committee and thus its findings cannot represent the aspiration of the Fata.

Malik Khan Marjan said that things would complicate if the status of Fata was changed in light of the recommendations of the reforms committee.He said that if the government was sincere in bringing reforms in Fata, then it should consult the tribal elders.

He said tribespeople wanted education, health and other basic amenities of life made available to fellow countrymen. Flanked by elders Malik Faizur Rehman, Malik Naib Khan, Malik Abdul Razzaq, Malik Attaullah, Malik Bahadur Shah, Malik Marwaiz Khan and others, he said that Fata Grand Alliance supported reforms, but any attempt to impose decisions from outside would be resisted.

“At this stage, we support necessary changes in the Frontier Crimes Regulation (FCR),”said Malik Khan Marjan.He asked the government to announce a special package for Fata to launch mega development projects and provide health, education and other facilities. He urged the government to restore the scholarship programme for tribal students and compensation for damage incurred by the tribespeople.