People of FATA demand Zardari to fulfill his promise of reforms in FATA immediately

17th February, 2011

Peshawar :A dialogue was held by Society of Rights and Development (SRD) and MCED with collaboration of Strengthening Participatory Organization (SPO) title Reforms in FATA, Way forward in Pearl Continental Hotel Peshawar. It was presided over by Arshad Haroon Regional Head of SPO while the participants had been invited from almost all seven Agencies and six FRs of FATA. Program was commenced with recitation of the Holy Quran while an overview of SPO work in FATA was presented by Zuhra Luqman MER Specialist of organization. Zar Ali Khan Afridi was stage secretary on this occasion. Those who participated in dialogue were Syed Mukhtar Bacha, Dr. Said Alam Mehsud, Zahir Shah safi Advocate , Raees Norat Khan, Haji Raza Khan, Dr. Sarfaraz Khan, Shamim Shahid, Idrees Kamal of Amn Tehrik, Mukarram Khan Atif, Ghani gul Mehsud, Zahir Shah Safi, Raees Norat Khan Afridi , Mardan Ali, Eng. Zaman Dawar, Abdul Rahim Afridi, Ghani Gul Mehsud, Nazif Khan, Manzoor Afridi, Khan Habib Afridi, Ameer Khan, Dr. Begum Jan, Shams Mohmand, former MNA Ghulam Sadiq, Parveen Akhtar member SPO board of directors, Ijaz Ahmad Afridi, Haji Rehman, Luqman Afridi, Salma of SPO. Besides a large number of participants from FATA also enthusiastically participated.

In his opening remarks to the participants Arshad Haroon said FATA comprises of seven Agencies and six FRs where the entire population has been suffering from the trouble and agonies. FATA is governed by regulations dating from the British Raj: the Frontier Crimes Regulations of 1901. In 20th century revolutions came where people got political thinking and many countries made a progress. Unfortunately our region remained deprived of the development and progress.

Dr Sarfaraz Khan Director Area study Center Peshawar University spoke at length about reforms in FATA saying that tribal should be brought in mainstream of the country. We all should get together and work collectively to implement reforms in FATA. People of FATA should form alliances with all peace loving, democratic and progressive political and social forces of the country and initiate a movement to exert pressure on government and Pakistani establishment to implement reforms in FATA.
Former Member of Parliament of Pakistan from Mohmand Agency Ghulam Sadiq said that sitting in parliament of Pakistan is useless and mere a waste of time. In parliament we are unable to play any role for our people. We can take part in legislation for the other parts of Pakistan but we can not represent those who have elected us. Parliamentarians of FATA in parliament are not more than laughing stock and are frequently sold out. We have to leave this bad practice and work for the people of FATA.
Shamim Shahid A senior Journalist said that FATA issue needs to be solved. He emphasized on the sitting government to implement the reforms announced by incumbent government. Militancy and terrorism were rooted out from Malakand Agency due to their representation in provincial parliament but FATA is still suffering from the menace because people of FATA have no representation in provincial Assembly of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Abdul Haq of Mohmand Agency demanded for the abolition of the FCR and implementation of reforms announced by present government.
Said Mukhtar Bacha said that his party has a clear stand about FATA saying FATA should be merged into province and other options are just waste of time.
The participants were unanimous in promotion of peace, implementation of all types of political, legal, constitutional and economic reforms in FATA. Besides work for education and health should also be started. It was also demanded that reforms in FATA be implemented according to wishes of people of FATA. Different segments of society should get united to work for the reforms. People of FATA and FRs should come closer to develop a pressure on the government to implement reforms in FATA.
Parveen Akhtar member of SPO board of Directors in her concluding remarks thanked the participants for participation and appreciated the commitment of the people of FATA to work for the reforms in FATA.


Regards,

Zar Ali Khan Afridi
Executive Director
Society for Rights and Development
Chairman
Tribal NGOs Consortium
Srd.org.pk@gmail.com
0301-5963337