Students warn of protest if Fata reforms bill not okayed

PESHAWAR: Students from Fata have warned of launching agitation if the government failed to pass the proposed Fata reforms bill from Senate by April 10.

Speaking at a news conference on Monday at Peshawar Press Club, Fata Students Organisation (FSO) President Muhammad Ilyas alleged that government was using delaying tactics in the passage of the reforms bill. He termed it an attempt to keep the people of Fata backward in all fields of life. Muhammad Ilyas said most of political parties’ leaders raised the Fata issue for only political point scoring and failed to bring about a real change in the region.

Flanked by office-bearers including Misbahuddin, Murtaza Mehsud, Muhammad Idrees and others, Ilyas said the Fata reforms bill had been stuck in the upper house of parliament under a conspiracy. He said repeal of the Frontier Crimes Regulation (FCR) was inevitable to ensure fundamental rights to the tribal people. The student leader demanded of the government to get passed the proposed reforms bill from Senate without any delay otherwise they would stage sit-in outside the parliament house for an indefinite period.