Merger of Fata into KP inevitable, says Haider Hoti

BARA: Awami National Party (ANP) provincial president and former chief minister Ameer Haider Hoti Thursday asked government to merge Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) into Khyber Pakhtunkhwa forthwith.

Speaking at a public gathering in Bar Qambarkhel in Bara tehsil of Khyber Agency, he said the merger of Fata with KP had become inevitable and that his party would raise voice for the execution of merger plan at every platform.

Provincial vice-president Imran Afridi, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly Member Sardar Hussain Babak, ANP president for Khyber Agency Shah Hussain Shinwari and others were present on the occasion.

Haider Hoti said that some people were conspiring against the merger but they would fail.“The ANP will not tolerate delaying tactics and artificial hindrances to the implementation of the plan,” he added.

Haider Hoti leader said that he was hopeful that majority of political parties would support the merger plan.He said the ANP had rendered matchless sacrifices against terrorism during its government and many of their leaders and workers were martyred.

Haider Hoti demanded the government to ensure the representation of the Fata people in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly in the next elections.The former chief minister claimed that after the implementation of the merger plan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa would become the largest province of Pakhtuns.

Haider Hoti said that some parties had no interest in resolving the issues of the tribal people and they were raising hollow slogans but that only the ANP to raise issue of the Pakhtuns at every platform.

“Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has faced the worst kind of governance and financial problems,” he added.The ANP leader said the provincial government had failed to launch a single mega project in the province during the last four years.

The former chief minister said that sustainable peace could be restored in the region only if Pakistan reviewed its internal and external policies.ANP provincial vice-president Imran Afridi, MPA Sardar Hussain Babak, ANP Khyber Agency president Shah Hussain Shinwari and others also spoke on the occasion.