KP-Fata merger celebrated in province

MIRANSHAH: A rally was staged in North Waziristan Agency on Saturday to celebrate the merger of tribal areas in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

A large number of tribespeople including children participated in the rally, which was taken out in Miranshah, the headquarters of North Waziristan.

The rally participants chanted slogans in support of the merger and against the Frontier Crimes Regulation.

Our correspondent adds from Kalaya: Tribal elders belonging to Orakzai Agency hailed the passage of Fata merger bill passed by the National Assembly.

They said that merger of federally administered tribal areas (Fata) with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa would end their longstanding grievances.

They added that tribespeople rendered matchless sacrifices for the country but they were previously denied their due rights.

Our correspondent in Mansehra adds: The Tehsil Nazim Kundar Hassanzai Shahzad Shah has welcomed merger of Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) into Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, saying the country would be strengthened through such a great move by political parties.

“Now the government must ensure provision of all civic rights and amenities to people who have been waiting to be part of Pakistan for the last almost seven decades,” Shahzad Shah said.

“We have achieved a great milestone in history of our country as now the division which was made in British era comes to an end and Pakhtuns are being reunited at single platform,” said Shah.

Our correspondent in Charsadda adds: Hailing the passage of Fata’s merger bill by the National and Senate, Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) provincial head Sikandar Sherpao on Saturday hoped the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly to pass Fata Khyber merger bill with two-third majority.

Talking to reporters, he said that if Fata-KP merger bill was not passed by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly two-third majority, then the next government would pass the bill.

Sikandar said that both Lower and the Upper the houses had passed the Fata-KP merger bill with two-third majority. Fata people would get rid of the draconian law Frontier Crimes Regulation, he added.

He said that bringing Fata into the mainstream would be proved fruitful. The bill after passing from the National Assembly and Senate would be passed from the KP assembly, he added.

The QWP leader said that it was constitutional responsibility of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government to ensure presence of the lawmakers in the Assembly to pass the merger bill. QWP leadership would vote in support of the Fata-KP merger bill, he pointed out.