Fata constitutional reforms a pipe dream

Islamabad
A tribal MNA on Monday raised question as to why FCR continues to be the mode of rule for more than 68 years in federally administered tribal areas.
While slapped by English rulers it was repealed and replaced with constitutional rule in the whole sub-continent (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh) adding that the special laws governing tribesmen were inhuman and oppressive.
A consensus on passage of Fata reforms bill by the parliament was created at the conference that was attended by leaders of all mainstream political parties. The bill
first time recommends merger of tribal areas with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province
and allocation of proportionate funds under the NFC award.
However, it appeared there are elements among tribal areas patronized by their Pakistani politicians who have different view with regard to the Fata reforms as they are opposed to merger with KPK and want a separate province. There are beneficiaries of the government perks and privileges who oppose both the options and want a status quo with amendments to the FCR. The last view was endorsed to an extent by a commission comprising retired bureaucrats and set up by the provincial governor.
Meanwhile, the tribal leadership seemed to be extensively divided in about half a dozen groups on question of transitioning the century-old Frontier Crime Rules into constitutional rule.
The conference that was organized by Jamaat-e-Islami on Monday apparently to solicit the support of all political parties with parliamentary strength to support the Fata reforms by adopting 22nd amendment bill tabled by a group of tribal members of the National Assembly.
JUI-F leader senator Maulana Ataur Rehman objected to holding of very conference when his party had created a consensus through a high powered tribal Jirga back in 2012. He said the grand Jirga appointed by all parties conference had created a consensus by meeting with the elders of all tribal agencies and a consensus was built on keeping the present set-up for FATA in vogue by giving fundamental rights to the tribesmen through constitutional amendment.
He was not alone in opposing the conference as PML-Q’s Ajmal Khan Wazir also expressed his surprise over the conference saying why the organisers ignored the ten-party committee members.
Talking to The News/Jang Wazir, who was a moving spirit behind the exercise undertaken by ten-party to reach consensus on 11-point recommendations for the Fata reforms, regretted that Monday’s conference did not encompass the whole tribal population as only few legislators from Fata attended it.
He however extended his support to all the parliamentary groups if they pass the proposed bill to ultimately bring tribesmen in the mainstream.
The much trumpeted Fata constitutional reforms will remain a pipe dream unless all the influential groups including the tribal elders, legislators, intellectuals join hands to impress upon the parliament to extend constitutional rule to the tribal belt.
The participants of the conference demanded that the tribesmen may be allotted
fair share of provincial assembly seats without further delay.