Pakistan Muslim League-Q, Central Senior Vice President and Co-ordinator FATA, Ajmal Wazir said that the tribal areas should be accepted as part of Pakistan and needs a serious attention of rulers, which was the most neglected part of the country, saying that the tribal people were being treated as apartheid in presence of draconian laws in FATA.
He accused that ruling government and leaders had made only tall and false claims to resolve the issues of tribal people, but didn't take any practical step on ground in this regard. He remarked that the amendments in Frontier Crime Regulation (FCR) law and FATA reforms had also useless to bring any real change in social fabric of tribal society and resolve their issues of tribesmen.
Addressing at a condolence reference held under auspices of PML-Q FATA, for the late party president from FATA, Shah Jehan Shah here at Peshawar Press Club on Tuesday, Amjal Wazir stressed the need for taking serious steps for ending the growing sense of deprivation and cope with current situation in Federally Administered Tribal Areas.
Opposing the merger of FATA into Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, he asked that if the provincial government had desired to be attached FATA with settled areas, then it should first establish lasting peace and end the increasing drone attacks in tribal region.
"FATA is most neglected part of the country, which needs serious attention of the rulers", he observed. He added that the persistent military operations had maneuvered situation in South and North Waziristan, whereas the drone attacks were further deteriorating and created turbulent in FATA. Expressing annoyance over not having active presence of PML-Q in FATA, he asked the party Central leadership to focus on FATA and streamline party affairs on priority basis.
If, Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, Imran Khan was announced to visit Waziristan, why not the PML-Q leadership will come to the region, he questioned. "We want to strengthen party in FATA, but there was need full commitment and attention by the central leadership", he maintained.
He said if we want to survive the country, then it should be accepted FATA as part of it, adding that there was needed serious commitment and determination for resolution of tribal issues. Regarding the party presidential elections in FATA, he said that president name would be recommended with joint consensus of workers, and central leadership of the party, which could be totally on merit basis.
The PML-Q provincial General Secretary, Intikab Chamkani while addressing on the occasion asked the Federal government to device a comprehensive policy to ensure basic human rights, creation of job opportunities for tribal youth, and end the growing sense of deprivation in FATA. He said, until we do not have an independent foreign policy, there would be no peace and stability in tribal region.
He observed that tribesmen had played integral role for protection of borders without any incentives and benefits, which was a commendable job as citizens of the country. He demanded of the federal government to select special advisors to Prime Minister from FATA to amicable address issues confronting the tribal region. He assured that KP PML-Q would extend every possible support to workers in FATA, and informed they have arranged a meeting with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor with tribal party leaders to highlight their issues with him.
Earlier, addressing at the condolence reference, PML-Q leaders, activists and workers from FATA, including Malik Zahir Shah, Malik Kismat Khan, Dr Raj Shaheen, Farhan Shah, Safdar Hayat president Tribal Union of Journalists, and others, paid rich tribute to services of late Shah Jehan Shah, PML-Q president from FATA, for the party. They said he (Shah Jehan) had played important role to strengthen party in FATA, and gained huge popularity among elders and junior colleagues. The participants vowed they would pay every sacrifices to accomplish the mission of late Shah Jehan Shah and for the cause of the party.