PPJC urges political consensus on FATA reforms

The Political Parties Joint Committee (PPJC) on FATA Reforms met last week with the FATA Reforms Commission, established by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Sardar Mehtab Ahmed Khan Abbasi. The TATA Committee comprising 10 political parties presented their consensus 11-point reform recommendations for the tribal areas and urged the government Commission to include their recommendations in proposals to be delivered to the KP Governor by March 2015.
The meeting was described as meaningful both by members of the political parties FATA Committee and also by Commission Chairman and former KP Chief Secretary Ejaz Qureshi. Additional Commission members in attendance included: Lieutenant General Syed Sabahat Hussain (Retd), Mir Laiq Shah (former Secretary to the Governor of KP) and Mossarat Qadeem.
Retired Lieutenant General Hussain also stated that the political parties FATA Committee is the apex committee on reforms for FATA, indicating that the most effective forum for reforms is that of political parties. He went on to recommend the FATA Committee to meet with senior army officers to present and further discuss their reform proposals for the tribal areas.
Representing ANP, JI, JUI-F, MQM, NP, PPP, PML, PML-N, PTI and QWP, the political parties FATA Committee focused on recommendations to implement elected local government system in FATA and also to amend Article 247 of the Constitution of Pakistan to transfer legislative powers from the President of Pakistan to parliament. Political parties highlighted that although amendment to the Constitution was the exclusive jurisdiction of parliament, many of their 11-point reforms can be enacted directly with signature of President Mamnoon Hussain after recommendation by the Governor of KP and the FATA Reforms Commission. These reforms include local bodies' elections, increased development funds, extension of PEMRA jurisdiction, reforms to make Jirga system more democratic and independent, and strengthening of khasadar and levies forces in FATA.
Chairman Qureshi agreed with the parties' recommendation to professionalize civil armed forces in FATA and also said the Commission was working to find consensus on FATA future status. He also acknowledged the need to improve the current system and expressed a desire to have public support and participation for reforms in FATA. Regarding local bodies, Lieutenant General Hussain (Retd) stated that there was an emerging consensus to form some form of representative government in FATA.
Emphasising that reforms are needed for sustainable peace and now is the time for the government to move forward on the reforms agenda, the political parties FATA Committee has asked for meetings with President Mamnoon Hussain and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to discuss the parties consensus on FATA reforms.
The parties also plan to continue work with senators and members of the National Assembly to develop a constitutional amendment bill for Article 247 to guarantee fundamental rights and shift the power to make laws for FATA to parliament, like it is for the four provinces. Working together since 2010 and with complete support of the leadership of each of the ten political parties, the FATA Committee works to continue the reforms process for a brighter and prosperous FATA.