4-member advisory board formed for tribal districts

PESHAWAR: Governor Shah Farman has constituted an Advisory Board for tribal districts comprising the senior elders with knowledge of governance in defunct Federally Administered Tribal Areas.

A notification issued from the Governor’s House said Umar Khan Afridi would chair the board. The members will include Rustam Shah Mohmand, Mir Laiq Shah and Sang-e-Marjan.

The board would deliberate and advise a way forward and make recommendations within the framework of government decision to ensure economic and political stability.

It will address concern and irritants of local community based on tribal traditions, norms and culture.

“The board will make recommendations to the government on issues arising out of the merger of the erstwhile tribal areas into Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,” said the communiqué, adding, it would address and

make suitable recommendations to propose a comprehensive dispute resolution mechanism for resolving civil and criminal disputes in accordance with the local customs and traditions, to make the recommendation for the enforcement of decisions of the jury or jirga.

The board would also create a law-enforcement force exclusively for the erstwhile Fata by organising short and long-term training for the existing Levies and Khassadars and to operate within the board parameters of the new government schemes by instituting such mechanism that is compatible with the norms, values and traditions of the area.

It would ensure that the new system or administration does not result in long delays of court cases and those decisions are made expeditiously within a time frame and the centrepiece of the new system will be to retain the fundamental principles that guided decisions making in the former tribal areas.

The board would also ensure respect to the aspirations of the people of the tribal area by not imposing a system that will cause more hardships, agony and adversely affect the security environment, it added. The advisory board would take steps to hold the local body’s elections as soon as possible and ensure that these institutions contribute to the formulation and execution of the development scheme.