JUI-F to resist Fata merger sans referendum: Fazl

TANK: Demanding referendum on the merger of tribal areas into Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Saturday said they would resist the decision if taken in haste.

Speaking at a peace conference here, he said that the government was changing stance on the merger issue. “The government sometime talks of amendment to the Constitution then proposes to introduce Riwaj Act and then changes its stance again and again,” he added. He said the people of tribal areas suffered a lot, faced ultimate destruction and displacement and should not be asked for more.

“The future of tribal areas should be decided as per the aspirations of the tribespeople,” he said, adding, the opinion of the tribespeople over the future of Fata should be respected. He demanded holding of a referendum over the issue and warned against imposing the wishes of a handful of people on the tribespeople.

“If anyone tried to merge the tribal areas against the consent of tribespeople we would stand like an iron wall against this decision,” he added.

He proposed the government to rebuild the houses and rehabilitate infrastructure damaged or destroyed in the years-long militancy in tribal areas, complete the returning process of temporarily displaced persons (TDPs) and then hold a referendum to decide the future of tribal areas.

He said the government and other political parties should demand a separate province and not support merger of
tribal areas with KP if they really wanted to bring Fata into the mainstream.

The Maulana also complained about what he argued linking terrorism with religious seminaries and scholars. He said that religious scholars and seminaries students had rendered matchless sacrifices in war against terrorism but their sacrifices were still not recognised. 

Criticising the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), the Maulana said the party was promoting the interest of Jews. He said the JUI-F would contest the next general elections against the agents of ‘Jews’. He urged the people to reject the PTI in the general elections to foil the agenda of Western powers. 

The JUI-F provincial chief Maulana Gul Naseeb said the tribal areas were bestowed with natural resources and alleged that international powers wanted to start a new war there under the umbrella of militant organisation Islamic State (IS). “It is a part of a greater plan to promote IS in tribal areas to not only exploit the natural resources but also defame Islam and religious seminaries,” he said.

On the occasion, dastarbandi of 800 students who completed their studies at various religious seminaries was also held.