KP-Fata merger decision taken in haste: Fazl

PESHAWAR: Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal President and Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Saturday said that certain elements had imposed their agenda over parliament regarding the merger of Fata into Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Speaking as a chief guest at a tribal jirga at the JUI-F provincial secretariat here, the JUI-F chief said that the tribal people were not taken into confidence while making a decision about their future status. “Our stand was to let the tribal people decide their own future and their opinion should be valued whether they want merger, a separate province or the present status,” he said and added that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz government even deceived its own allies in this regard. Maulana Fazlur Rehman said that former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Safron Minister Abdul Qadir Baloch had assured him that no decision would be made in haste regarding future of the Fata.

“I don’t understand that why an abrupt decision was taken at the last week of its government as there were certain forces behind the merger idea,” he said and added that all the parliamentarians were made phone calls to ensure their presence to pass the Bill related to merger of Fata into Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Maulana Fazl said that a grand tribal jirga where besides tribal elders representatives of almost all political parties had asked the government to value the opinions of tribal people regarding their future status.

“The government as well as many of the political parties had deviated from its commitment with the tribal people,” he said and added the present parliament had no mandate of Fata merger with KP.

“The upcoming general elections will expose the political parties and certain tribal elders who had made tall claims that majority of the tribespeople were in favour of the merger,” the JUI-F chief said and added that his party would oppose the hurriedly-made legislation on the future of Fata. The tribal jirga was also addressed by tribal chieftains, elders and provincial and Fata leaders of the JUI-F, showing their opposition to the merger of Fata into Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.