FRs Civil Society Network and SPO-Peshawar will jointly hold a press conference tomorrow January 7, 2014 time: 12.30 PM at Peshawar Press Club regarding FATA Regulations Local Governments 2002 and 2012 and local bodies elections in FATA. Coordinator CSN Zar Ali Khan Afridi will face the media along with Engineer Tor Gul Chamkani, Malik Luqman Afridi and M. Zahir shah Safi Advocate. Besides a large number of social and political activists from Frontier Regions and other parts of FATA will participate
Monday, January 6, 2014
Monday, December 9, 2013
19 points FATA Declaration is needed to be implemented to emancipate FATA people from worst kind of miseries and violation of human rights
Chairperson Tribal NGOs
Consortium Zar Ali Khan Afridi demanded of the government to immediately implement
all the 19 points unanimously passed by the FATA citizens in FATA Grand
Assembly of Reforms Council in Peshawar. He said that FATA is suffering from
worst human rights. Women and children are the most vulnerable and suffered
most. Million of civilian were displaced due to terrorism and so called
security forces. Both forced civilians to leave the area and their houses.
Almost all FATA people particularly women and children are leading a miserable
life in Camps established out side of the FATA for them. We the people of FATA
are very much concerned about our worst human rights violation by both
terrorists and security forces. We want all fundamental human rights enshrined
in constitution of Pakistan 1973 and United Nations Declaration on Human Rights
for the people of FATA.
FATA DECLARATION
PESHAWAR, SATURDAY, JUNE 22, 2013
FATA Citizens Declaration on
Reforms
FATA GRAND ASSEMBLY OF REFORMS
COUNCILS
Peshawar the 22nd June, 2013
We, the tribal elders, religious
clerics, political and social activists, students, women
representatives, lawyers, journalists, teachers
and other citizens from FATA, come together from all seven agencies and
frontier regions and unanimously adopt this:
CITIZENS’ DECLARATION FOR FATA
REFORMS
It is our consensus, as tribal
citizens, that the amendments made to the Frontier Crimes Regulation (FCR) in
2011 are not being implemented in their true letter and spirit. While paying
homage to the Honorable President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, who took
notice of our miseries and enacted the FATA Reforms Package of 2011, we request
the President to direct for urgent and comprehensive implementation of existing
reforms.
Furthermore, we unanimously
propose the following immediate changes for further reforms in FATA:
1. The Constitutional provisions
regarding FATA need to
be amended to the extent that FATA Parliamentarians could play a role or
take part in the legislation for FATA. Furthermore, the constitution should be
harmonized so as the fundamental rights enjoyed by the rest of country should
be extendable to FATA;
2. The status of FATA should be
decided by its people;
3. A FATA Council elected on
adult franchised basis should be established in FATA which should be empowered
to suggest to the President of Pakistan regarding the future of FATA;
4. Local Governments should be
established under FATA Local Governments Regulation 2002 (with some amendments,
if needed) and the Jirga system should be made more democratic, effective and
representative;
5. The Political Administration
should be accountable to elected representatives of Local Governments;
6. There should be reserved seats
for tribal women in the National Assembly and Senate, like in the rest of
Pakistan;
7. The Frontier
Crimes Regulation (FCR)
should either be substantially amended
or annulled to
recognize the fundamental rights
of the people of FATA;
8. There should be separation of
judiciary and executive as in the whole of the country;
9. The jurisdiction of the High
Court and Supreme Court of
Pakistan should be extended to
FATA;
10. The civil armed forces, such
as Khasadar and levies, should be strengthened and reinforced and adequately
armed;
11. Promotion of education at the
grassroots level is needed in all of FATA, while vocational training and skills
development also need special attention.
Separate universities for
male and female students,
colleges and technical institutes should be established on priority basis in
FATA;
12. No person, male or female,
should be deprived of property without due compensation, and the law of
inheritance should be extended to FATA;
13. Fully operational Hospitals
equipped with adequate facilities and experienced staff should be established
in every Agency and FRs of FATA.
The hospitals should
also have well-equipped trauma centers. Women's and
children's hospitals also need to be established so that female and child
mortality rates can be decreased significantly;
14. Due attention should be
accorded to a planned and phased program for infrastructure development in
FATA;
15. A comprehensive development
package should be initiated which will help to bring prosperity and job
opportunities for the people of FATA by exploiting natural and local resources;
16. Press and Publication
ordinance and PEMRA ordinance should be extended to FATA;
17. Actions in Aid of Civil Power
Regulation 2011 should be abolished immediately;
18. Reserved seats for FATA and
FANA should be separated;
19. Imposition of General Sales
Tax (GST) in Budget 2013-14 on FATA is unanimously rejected and demanded of
Government to take back the decision.
Saturday, December 7, 2013
How peace will promote in FATA?
Before the advent of foreign
forces in Afghanistan in 2001, the situations in FATA were comparatively
peaceful. Though the terrorists and anti state actors were present in a large
number in FATA. Political Agent was all in all and civil bureaucracy knew the
pulse of tribal people well. The system of Jirga institution was strong and
people got their disputes resolved immediately. Malik and sufaid resh that were
the integral part of political system in FATA also played their role and people
had to accept their authority. People in FATA are mainly attached with
agriculture profession. They used to grow their own crops and ate their own
food. The mobility was easy and there was no hindrance for people to meet each
other and discuss their important issues and found ways and means for their resolution.
Schools were opened and children could easily go to their schools. Hospitals
and other health related facilities served people day and night. The roads were
also safe. Badraga which is one of the important traditions of tribesmen was
there and people regarded it well and obeyed what their tradition taught them. Tribalistic
code was intact. The entire FATA was governed by only one secretary of the
governor. Today there are four secretaries who run the affairs in FATA. In FATA
an additional chief secretary has also been appointed who is the administrative
head of the FATA secretariat. FATA Secretariat was primarily set up to keep
FATA and settled areas separated and to create a sense of alienation among the
people of FATA and settled districts. It means people were divided and
distances among them were widened. FATA secretariat is such a place on the
surface of earth which is set up for the people who are not allowed. This can
be called a den of corruption. This is an indication for the people of FATA
that they will remain aloof from their brethren in province of Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa. It can be easily understood that societies are broken and
integration is discouraged. When regular forces of Pakistan entered into FATA
after 2001 it took responsibilities of administration from the Political Agents
and it changed the political scenario in FATA. Major and colonel took the
charge from political Agents and political tehsildars. Terrorists and anti
state actors started killing pro government Maliks and elders. More than 3500
pro government and pro peace elders and Maliks were ruthlessly assassinated.
Many people were forced to leave the area and settle in comparatively safer and
more peaceful areas of the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Had the Maliks not
been assassinated the peace would not have been threatened to so much an extent
today. The clergy is also responsible for the destabilization of the FATA. When
Mutahidda Majlis Amal or simply MMA won the general elections in 2002 in then
NWFP Assembly it formed the government which encouraged the Taliban and during
their time weapon was accumulated in FATA. People were recruited, trained and
funded. For long five years FATA remained calm and there was no or little
interference in Afghanistan by terrorists from FATA. As the government of MMA
came to an end and Taliban sensed that secular parties were to win the elections
then they started their subversive activities to create problems for the new
comers who they thought would be antagonistic against Taliban. There are
reports that more than 90 thousand people of FATA were killed and double of it
got maimed. The rest were forced to flee the area and started a life of IDPs in
camps in various areas which was really hard and difficult for the people of
FATA.
Border tribal belt is situated
along and across both sides of Durand line. On both sides tribes live which
enjoy same linguistic, cultural, ethnic and economic links with each other. When
the links between two sides were broken either by terrorists or the governments
of both countries especially Pakistan then it was natural that the area in
question got disturbed and the region was destabilized. It is said that
tribalism is the first step towards human civilization but it is also a fact
that tribalism has some positive points also like mutual sympathy,
participation in one another trouble and distress, hospitality, Provision of
asylum, Jirgas and resolution of disputes through it. These were the few
factors which kept FATA peaceful before 2001. As the aliens perched in FATA
from different areas of Pakistan and world then situations changed because the
out siders including Pakistan Army could not understand FATA and its people. There
was a vast difference between two people and their customs and traditions.
Suggestions for
promotion of peace in FATA
1.
It was a reality that FATA was a cradle of peace
before 2001 despite having political and administrative problems. No power
could succeed to destabilize the area.
2.
Absence of women in whole system is real cause
of instability in FATA. Women should be empowered to play their due role in
peace promotion.
3.
More than 3500 Maliks have been assassinated. The
killers should be arrested and be punished as per law of the land and heirs of
the Maliks should be compensated.
4.
The institution of traditional Jirga needs to be
corruption freed and strengthened.
5.
All camps of terrorism should be eliminated from
FATA.
6.
Afghanistan will be left to make progress.
7.
People living both sides of Durand line should
be given right to use both areas and they will be allowed to move freely from
one place to other.
8.
People need to be integrated and links be
increased.
9.
Sports activities should be accelerated for
peace promotion.
10.
Civil Society Organizations Networks need to be
established and strengthened in FATA.
Regards
Zar Ali Khan Afridi
Executive Director
Society for Rights and Development
SF-118, Deans Trade Center Peshawar Cantt.
+92-91-3015963337
Role of CSOs in ending Gender Based Violence in FATA
December 1, 2013
Peshawar: A dialogue was held in
Frontier Regions of FATA titled: Role of CSOs in ending Gender Based Violence
in FATA. This dialogue was organized by Society for Rights and Development with
collaboration of FRs Civil Society Network and SPO jointly. A large number of
people participated in dialogue and discussed almost all aspects and reasons of
GBV and role of CSOs in FATA. Zar Ali Khan Afridi the Executive Director of
Society for Rights and Development welcomed the participants including
representatives of civil society organizations and people from almost all
segments of society who came and attended this important dialogue. He said that
about 16 laws related to women and their rights have been passed by assembly
but no law has been yet extended to FATA. This shows apathy on the part of our
legislators sitting in both houses of the parliament of the country. CSOs
should come forward to work for the extension of the laws related to women
rights and their security and protection. Engineer Tor Gul Chamkani a well known
tribal leaders and an expert on the tribal affairs said to the participants
that until Article 247 of the constitution of Pakistan is amended and all
powers of President is handed over to the parliament about FATA our situations
will be further deteriorated and I see no improvement so for. This is the
responsibility of all those intellectuals, civil society organizations,
lawyers, teachers, students and above all social and political activists to
work hard to end this discrimination by forcing the democratic set up of the
country. Women rights are human rights and we all know that population of FATA
increases more than 10 million and half is of women who have been totally
neglected and marginalized. This is an injustice. We have to recognize women
rights. This is 21st century and we all should rise our voice in
this regard. Malik Luqman Afridi a social and political figure of FATA
addressed participants saying that people of FATA have not yet been recognized
as human being yet. Even males are deprived of the rights. Women related laws
are necessary to be extended to FATA but it needs more and more work and
struggle. Remember that rights are not given so easily. They are to be
snatched, he elaborated. Engineer Shahi Khan Sherani an ex candidate of ANP
from NA-47 said to the participants that organizing such dialogues and programs
are really beneficial for the people in general and women in particular. If
civil society and CSOs get united then we assure you that we all then can end
this menace which is called violence against women. Our area is very backward
and FATA still needs more and more reforms. We demand that all laws related to
women should be ordered to be extended to FATA like other parts of the country.
Zar Ali Khan Afrid thanked participants and said that such dialogues and
seminars would be held in future also to get people educated about ending
violence against women and to bring civil society organizations at a single
plate form and work jointly and collectively to end this menace.
Regards
Zar Ali Khan Afridi, 0301-5963337
Community Awareness regarding Gender Based Violence
16 Days Activism
Seminar-28th November, 2013
Peshawar- A one day seminar was arranged by
Society for Rights and Development in partnership with Strengthening
Participator Organization (SPO) at frontier Regions of FATA titled: Community
Awareness regarding Gender Based Violence in connection of 16 Days Activism
starting from November 25, 2013 up to 10th December, 2013. A large
number of participants attended the seminar and spoke on the occasion regarding
the topic. Zar Ali Khan Afridi Executive Director Society for Rights and
Development welcomed the participants and said that violence has been defined
by UN General Assembly in 1993 as Violence against women means any act of
Gender Based Violence that results in or is likely to result in physical,
sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women including threats of such
acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivations of liberty, whether occurring in
public or private life. In 1993 the General Assembly went to present a partial
list of what it felt constituted Gender Based Violence including
1. Physical,
sexual, and psychological
2. Child sexual
3. Dowry related violence
4. Marital rape
5. Female genital mutilation
6. Rape and
sexual abuse
7. Sexual harassment
in the workplaces and educational institutions
8. Trafficking
in women
9. Forced
prostitution
Men often
use violence to punish perceived transgression of Gender roles to show
authority and to save honor. . Violence against women is often considered normal
and justified by broader society rather a criminal act, and victims instead of
perpetrators are often stigmatized. Violence against women therefore can not be
understood in isolation from the gender norms, social structure and roles that
influence women, s vulnerability to violence. He said that violence against
women can be included just slapping, hitting and beating of women and girls. These are minors things in our society but
these are crimes on the part of men against women. Women in this part of the
world often keep silent over such violence. This is domestic violence. In our
country bill against domestic violence was rejected by senate as well as
provincial assembly of Khyber pakhtunkhwa. The MPs thought it was a family
matter and such matter should not be brought to courts. This is just face
saving which is not acceptable he maintained. We need to mobilize our community
against violence. For such practices to
stop we need the following few things which are important to control violence
against women in our society.
1. Reforming
community based non formal system of justice
2. Community
mobilization to influence and monitor policy reforms
3. Individual
behavior change strategy
4. Educating
law enforcement and public about new laws if any. In FATA there is no such law
and we are struggling to formulate the laws by pressuring government and to
enforce them in FATA.
5. Broad
investment in strengthening the law
enforcement response to Gender Based Violence
6. Special
public cells and family courts are to be set up but again such rights are not
given to women in FATA. Because in FATA no law of existing 16 women related
laws has been extended which itself is a violation of women rights by state.
7. Comprehensive
medico-legal system reforms
8. Building
networks and alliances between legal, social and health organizations of FATA.
9. Reforming
informal justice system if exists any. As for as FATA is concerned Jirgas are
held to solve most of the issues and matters. A Jirga is also constituted to
decide the future of a girl and woman but unfortunately there is no
representation or voice of the women and girl in Jirgas. In Pashtun Jirgas
women are not given representation and only males have power to decide women
and girls future. Other participants also spoke on the occasion and highlighted
the importance of 16 Days Activism campaign and pledged that despite the hard
and tough situations the movement needs to be continued and women should be
given due place in society equal to males.
Regards
Zar Ali Khan Afridi
Executive Director
Society for Rights and
Development-03015963337
Friday, November 29, 2013
SRD/FRs CSN staff threatened by terrorists to stop social activities regarding women and girls or be ready for severe consequences
The administration and field staff of Society for Rights and Development and its network FRs CSN was threatened by terrorists in Frontier Regions of FATA. Threatening letters and calls were received from unknown people saying that activities of network to be closed immediately otherwise responsibility of any untoward incident will be borne by SRD and FRs CSN. Such threats were hurled from time to time but the organization has not left its activities. Previously in election 2013 threats were issued to organization and network and even the head Zar Ali Khan Afridi was threatened to forbid doing social, humanitarian and developmental activities. Terrorists want to see work stopped over the issues of women and girls.Last time, it is pertinent to mention that FRs CSN female program officer Irsa Asim had no choice but to leave and hide somewhere safe from terrorists who had threatened her with severe consequences due to her work for the uplift of the area and development and awareness of the women and girls of the area in question.
Regards
Zar Ali Khan Afridi
Executive Director
SRD
Coordinator
FRs CSN-FATA
Pakistan
Regards
Zar Ali Khan Afridi
Executive Director
SRD
Coordinator
FRs CSN-FATA
Pakistan
16 Days Activism :Community Awareness regarding Gender Based Violence
16 Days Activism
Community Awareness regarding Gender Based Violence
Seminar-28th November, 2013
Peshawar- A one day seminar was arranged by
Society for Rights and Development in partnership with Strengthening
Participator Organization (SPO) at frontier Regions of FATA titled: Community
Awareness regarding Gender Based Violence in connection of 16 Days Activism
starting from November 25, 2013 up to 10th December, 2013. A large
number of participants attended the seminar and spoke on the occasion regarding
the topic. Zar Ali Khan Afridi Executive Director Society for Rights and
Development welcomed the participants and said that violence has been defined
by UN General Assembly in 1993 as Violence against women means any act of
Gender Based Violence that results in or is likely to result in physical,
sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women including threats of such
acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivations of liberty, whether occurring in
public or private life. In 1993 the General Assembly went to present a partial
list of what it felt constituted Gender Based Violence including
1. Physical,
sexual, and psychological
2. Child sexual
3. Dowry related violence
4. Marital rape
5. Female genital mutilation
6. Rape and
sexual abuse
7. Sexual harassment
in the workplaces and educational institutions
8. Trafficking
in women
9. Forced
prostitution
Men often
use violence to punish perceived transgression of Gender roles to show
authority and to save honor. . Violence against women is often considered normal
and justified by broader society rather a criminal act, and victims instead of
perpetrators are often stigmatized. Violence against women therefore can not be
understood in isolation from the gender norms, social structure and roles that
influence women, s vulnerability to violence. He said that violence against
women can be included just slapping, hitting and beating of women and girls. These are minors things in our society but
these are crimes on the part of men against women. Women in this part of the
world often keep silent over such violence. This is domestic violence. In our
country bill against domestic violence was rejected by senate as well as
provincial assembly of Khyber pakhtunkhwa. The MPs thought it was a family
matter and such matter should not be brought to courts. This is just face
saving which is not acceptable he maintained. We need to mobilize our community
against violence. For such practices to
stop we need the following few things which are important to control violence
against women in our society.
1. Reforming
community based non formal system of justice
2. Community
mobilization to influence and monitor policy reforms
3. Individual
behavior change strategy
4. Educating
law enforcement and public about new laws if any. In FATA there is no such law
and we are struggling to formulate the laws by pressuring government and to
enforce them in FATA.
5. Broad
investment in strengthening the law
enforcement response to Gender Based Violence
6. Special
public cells and family courts are to be set up but again such rights are not
given to women in FATA. Because in FATA no law of existing 16 women related
laws has been extended which itself is a violation of women rights by state.
7. Comprehensive
medico-legal system reforms
8. Building
networks and alliances between legal, social and health organizations of FATA.
9. Reforming
informal justice system if exists any. As for as FATA is concerned Jirgas are
held to solve most of the issues and matters. A Jirga is also constituted to
decide the future of a girl and woman but unfortunately there is no
representation or voice of the women and girl in Jirgas. In Pashtun Jirgas
women are not given representation and only males have power to decide women
and girls future. Other participants also spoke on the occasion and highlighted
the importance of 16 Days Activism campaign and pledged that despite the hard
and tough situations the movement needs to be continued and women should be
given due place in society equal to males.
Regards
Zar Ali Khan Afridi
Executive Director
Society for Rights and
Development-03015963337
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