Ex-minister calls for ‘Qabailistan’ province

BARA: Former federal minister and Fata Grand Alliance president Hameedullah Jan Afridi has demanded the government to announce Fata as separate province named “Qabailistan”.

He was speaking at an oath-taking ceremony of convention of the Khyber Union Pakistan held in Bar Qambarkhel in Bara tehsil of Khyber Agency. Editor-in-Chief of Daily The Frontier Post, Rehmat Shah Afridi, administered oath to the newly-elected office-bearer of Khyber Union Pakistan.

Hameedullah Jan said that the tribal people had rendered sacrifices against militants for years. “We want to abolish Frontier Crimes Regulation (FCR) a draconian law imposed on tribal people by the British rulers for own gains,” he said, adding that some people were spreading the propaganda that the Khyber Union Pakistan supported the FCR.

He expressed concern over the lawmakers from the Fata and said that millions of tribal people had sent several lawmakers to the National Assembly to ask the government funds and demand for separate province but they did not do so.

He said the tribal elders rejected the proposed merger of Fata into Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and wanted an identity of their own as separate province. “Some political parties want Fata to be merged with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa but we will resist any such move, which may deprive us of our Identity,” he said.

Hameedullah Jan argued that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had itself a fragile economy and it would not afford integration of tribesmen.He maintained that Fata should be given status of a province in the reforms process. He asked the government to limit the powers of political agents. The former minister asked the tribal people to elect those candidates who could raise voice for the people’s rights in the National Assembly.

Khyber Union Pakistan President Bazaar Gul Afridi, General Secretary Murad Saqi, former MNA from Frontier Region Baz Gul Afridi, Badshahi Khan and others spoke on the occasion.