Lawyers hailing from FATA oppose the induction of non-tribal people in the FATA tribunal and demanded for removal of existing members by replacing them with talented and devoted tribesmen, especially local experts on legal issues. Addressing at a news conference here at Peshawar Press Club (PPC) on Tuesday, FATA Lawyers Forum, President Ijaz Mohmand, said that the retired employees' appointment as members of FATA tribunal is in complete violation of the verdict of Supreme Court.
Flanked by FATA lawyers Abd-ul-Karim Mehsood, Taj Mehal Afridi, Hidyatullah Afridi, he informed that the tribunal has been constituted under the proposed amendments in Frontier Crime Regulation (FCR) Law, in which appointments of two retired officials and a judge of High court proposed.
However, he demanded for appointment of members from tribal areas, especially from lawyers' fraternity, saying that the tribal people are better aware about the culture and tradition. But, he said that the non-tribal people appointment as members of inconceivable and unacceptable to them.
Ijaz Mohamd said the FATA tribunal has been constituted for the tribal areas, but the members are being appointed from settled areas; it is totally injustice with tribal people. He informed that the tribunal is empowered under Article 199 of the Constitution for speedy justice to tribal people and disposal of pending cases. However, he said that the tribunal power is not sufficient for speedy dispensation of cases and justice to tribal people.
Abd-ul-Karim Mehsoon said that the non-tribal people's appointment in the tribunal is tantamount to push tribal society further into darkness and deprived them of justice. The president FATA legal fraternity expressed concern over turning down their demand by Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Governor and warned that they would launch a movement against him, if he did not take decision within next two weeks regarding removal of non-tribal members from FATA tribunal.