Reforms awaited

The Fata Reforms Bill 2017 – also known as the Riwaj Bill – has hit another snag – a further delay in presenting the law before parliament. Representatives of the tribal areas have threatened a march on Islamabad if there is no special session convened to discuss the bill as promised on May 20. The ultimatum was announced after a multiparty conference  last week, which included mainstream political parties. Back in March, the decision of the cabinet to go ahead with reforms in Fata was cautiously praised from all sides and seen as a decision to finally correct a historical wrong against the people of the conflict-stricken region, despite there being much criticism of the five-year implementation period of the reforms. Whatever the problems, the process cannot move ahead without parliamentary approval. This is why it is essential that the government stick to the timeline it has given – if not consider accelerating the process. At stake is the integration of Fata and ultimately peace in the troubled region. All those who know the history of the region have expressed concerns over the ability of the government to end the ongoing conflict without serious legal and constitutional reform regarding Fata’s place in Pakistan’s federation.

This is why the delay in the reforms remain unexplainable. There is simply no logic available for continuing the draconian arrangements that the people of the region continue to live under. No one in the government or opposition publically opposes the calls for reform but despite that the status quo has been notoriously hard to change. Once again, it is unclear where lies the source of the delay. There are genuine concerns over the content of the law and these should be raised once the bill is presented for debate in parliament. The absence of local representation in the various Fata reforms committees as well as the proposed legal status for jirgas are among some of the issues that require serious consideration. But that still does not justify why the FCR laws should continue. It is important that the federal government follows the implementation timeframe and addresses the more serious concerns about the proposed changes to the region’s legal and fiscal governance. It would be ideal to implement the changes before the 2018 elections. The federal government must recognise that in the Fata reforms, it is taking a historical step. It is important to get it right and on time.