Tribal elders and leaders of different political parties have urged the government to announce Rs 100 billion relief package, besides declaring the Fata as "tax-free" zone, to revive the trade and commercial activities in tribal agencies. They also called for holding population census, LB elections, and Fata representation in parliament and provincial assembly.
They stated this during a grand tribal jirga held under aegis of Fata Political Alliance (FPA) held at Peshawar Press Club on Tuesday. FPA president and ANP tribal leader, Nisar Mohmand, JI FATA ameer Sardar Khan, PTI leader Iqbal Mohammad Afridi, PPP Jehanraiz Khan, JI activist Zarnoor Afridi, Pakhtunkhwa Ulasi Tehreek leader, Dr Said Alam Mehsud, representatives of TQK, Shahid Shah were keynote speakers. Besides, tribal elders, members of civil society organisations, legal experts, tribal youth leaders, also present on the occasion.
FPA leaders have expressed dissociation from a peace conference, sponsored by JUI-F, regarding future of Fata in Peshawar on December 18, and called upon the government to immediate merge Fata into KP without any further delay. They demanded to announce a comprehensive relief package for rehabilitation and reconstruction of damaged infrastructure in Federally Administered Tribal Areas, besides population census, and local bodies elections, should be conducted in tribal regions.
The participants stressed the need for complete abolishment of the Frontier Crime Regulation (FCR). In this regard, they lauded the endorsement of constitutional amendments bill by upper house of the parliament, and called upon the government to immediate implement the recommendations of the Fata reforms committee with true letter and spirit, to mitigate the suffering of people of tribal agencies. Nisar Mohmand read out declaration of the tribal jirga. He said that FPA has fully disowned the JUI-F called peace conference on December 18, and decided to hold protest rallies and demonstrations across the Fata on the same day.
Sardar Khan said tribal people had deprived from all fundamental rights due to imposition of the draconian law, FCR for last several decades in Fata. He said some political figures were being tried to create hurdle in repealing of the FCR, and merger of Fata into KP. Other speakers included Iqbal Afridi, Zarnoor Afridi, Jehangraiz Khan, Dr Said Alam Mehsud, Khalilur Rehman, Gul Fazal, Gulzar Khan Mohmand.