KP Assembly demands KP-Fata merger

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly on Friday adopted a resolution calling for necessary amendments to the Constitution and adopting practical steps for merger of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Law Minister Imtiaz Shahid Qureshi moved a resolution duly signed by members from Pakistan People's Party, Awami National Party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, Qaumi Watan Party and Jamaat-e-Islami. The resolution asked the federal government to make necessary amendments to the Constitution and take steps for early merger of Fata with KP.

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam -Fazal neither supported nor opposed the resolution while other parties supported the resolution. Speaking on the resolution later on, JUI-F's Mufti Janan said his party was not in favour of the merger without the consent of people of Fata and said it was astonishing that resolutions were passed without any consultation.

The House also unanimously adopted the KP Employees of the Elementary and Secondary Education Department (appointment and regularisation of services) Bill, 2017, besides a resolution demanding merger of Fata with KP.

The Bill is aimed at providing for the appointment and regularisation of the services of certain employees appointed on ad hoc or contract basis or appointed in certain projects in the Education Department. It was passed with some amendments from Mufti Fazal Ghafoor of JUI-F and Arif Muhammadzai of the PTI.

The opposition members including Sardar Hussain Babak of ANP, Sardar Aurangzeb Nalotha of PML-N, PPP 's Nighat Orakzai and JUI-F's Munawar Khan said the services of employees should be considered from the initial date of their appointment. The KP Public Service Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2017 was also introduced in the House.

On a point of order, Anisa Zeb Tahirkheli of the Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) complained against demolition of Hayat Avenue (a monument in the name of the late Hayat Muhammad Khan Sherpao).

She said it was government's responsibility to preserve and protect historical monuments but ironically the Hayat Avenue was demolished for the Bus Rapid Transit Project. It was not known on whose order the monument was demolished. However, Law Minister Imtiaz Shahid Qureshi assured the monument would be erected on any proper place.

Speaker Asad Qaiser referred to the relevant committee a call attention notice of Mehmud Jan of the PTI about low price of sugarcane and delay in crushing season by sugar mills in the province.

He said that normally crushing season started from November 15 but in KP the mills were yet to start crushing, which would have bad impacts on wheat sowing while the rate of sugarcane has been fixed as Rs165 per 40 kilograms against the previous year's price of Rs180.

Mehmud Jan demanded the rate should be fixed Rs200 and crushing be started immediately. Sardar Babak and Sardar Aurangzeb Nalotha also supported the demand and said it was an injustice with growers in the province. The speaker adjourned the assembly till January 15, 2018.