Merger of KP with Fata: 'JUI-F, PkMAP opposition aimed at protecting their influence'

Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazal (JUI-F) and Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party's (PkMAP) opposition to the merger of Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is meant to sabotage the much-needed reforms in order to protect their political influence in the tribal areas.
This was the outcome of an anecdotal survey of several leaders of different political parties that urged the government to merge Fata with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and implement the reforms approved by the federal cabinet.
JUI-F leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman, according to Senator Farhatullah Babar of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) is opposed to the reforms because the JUI-F has a vast network of seminaries in tribal areas where mosques and seminaries play a pivotal role in determining political discourse. "Those who oppose the reforms fear that if Fata is merged with KP then it will no longer be possible for the mosque and pulpit to dominate the political discourse," he maintained. Fearing that Fata may become a battlefield following Donald Trump's new policy, he said it was a good opportunity to merge the areas with KP to save the locals from much suffering.
"The roadblocks in empowering the people are the civil-military bureaucracy, lack of political will and those political parties who fear an erosion of their political power base if Fata is brought into the national mainstream," he added. He said that PKMAP has been advocating unity among the Pakhtun of Balochistan, KP, FATA and Afghanistan and is now in the forefront denying unity of the Pakhtun tribesmen with the Pakhtun of KP. Reforms in FATA were opposed by vested interests in the past also, when it was decided to allow general voting and extend political parties order, on the flimsy ground that the people were not yet ready for change, he said.
Aurangzeb Khan, a Fata senator said that the people of Fata would not allow JUI-F chief Fazlur Rehman and Mehmood Khan Achakzai of PKMAP to play "with the future of our people for their own vested interest". "Who is Achakzai to dictate whether FATA can merge with KP or not? Only those who are affected by militancy, displacement due to operations, illiteracy and centuries old draconian Frontier Crime Regulation (FCR), be allowed to decide. We will take our own decision," he added.
Another Fata MNA Shah Jee Gul Afridi, the parliamentary leader of Fata lawmakers in the National Assembly hailing from Khyber Agency and in the forefront in supporting the implementation of Fata reforms, stated that "the people of Fata have no other demand except merger of Fata with KP. We have the support of PPP, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Jamaat-e-Islami, Awami National Party and Qaumi Watan Party for Fata reforms".
PKMAP Senator Sardar Azam Khan Musakhel said that his party will not accept merger of Fata with KP as it is an attempt to divide the Pashtoons. "If the government is so concerned about Fata, it should give a separate status of a province to Fata through a referendum," he added.
MNA Maulana Mir Zaman of JUI-F said that his party would oppose merger of Fata with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and demanded a separate province for tribal people. "We reject the proposed merger of Fata with KP. The tribal belt should be declared a separate province," he said. He said that Fata Reforms Committee violated its mandate by recommending merger of tribal area with KP. He said that the committee was tasked to propose reforms for political mainstreaming of Fata, not to suggest its merger with the province.
Sheikh Salahuddin of Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) said that the fate of Fata should be resolved as per the aspirations of the tribal people. He said that the party is not against merger of Fata with KP, but in the long-term, a separate province is the only solution.