ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: Prime Minister Imran Khan has appreciated all the political parties for backing the 26th Constitution Amendment, which would pave the way for more representation of the people from erstwhile Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) in the legislatures.
While addressing the Lower House, the prime minister said that the entire Country should contribute to the development of tribal districts in order to address their sense of deprivation.
The prime minister asked the provinces to give three percent share from the National Finance Commission (NFC) for this purpose as the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa alone cannot meet the development needs of tribal districts.
Imran Khan said that our development should be inclusive and the areas left behind must be brought at par with other areas of the Country.
وزیراعظم عمرا ن خان کا قومی اسمبلی میں اظہارخیال ۔۔
پوری قوم فاٹا کے عوام کے ساتھ کھڑی ہے۔دہشتگردی کیخلاف جنگ میں قبائلی اضلاع کو بے حد نقصان پہنچا۔۔۔متاثرہ علاقوں میں بحالی کیلئے پورے ملک کو سپورٹ کرنا پڑےگا۔این ایف سی میں سے صوبے تین فیصد قبائلی اضلاع کو دینگے۔@ImranKhanPTI pic.twitter.com/Ay3wJ95MJm— PTV News (@PTVNewsOfficial) May 13, 2019
NA passes “The 26th Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2019″ with 2/3 majority
Meanwhile, the National Assembly passed the “The 26th Constitution (Amendment) Bll, 2019″ with two-thirds majority. 288 lawmakers voted in favour of the Constitution Amendment while none against it.
The 26th Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2019 moved by Mohsin Dawar was aimed at increasing the seats of tribal districts in National Assembly and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly.
Under the amendment, the seats of tribal districts in National Assembly have been retained at 12 while their seats in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have been increased to 24 from 16.
Earlier, the House held a discussion on the 26th Constitution Amendment.
The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said that the federal and provincial governments should show commitment to bring the tribal districts at par with other parts of the Country while Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl’s (JUI-F) Maulana Wasay said that his party supports all the initiatives aimed at facilitating the tribal people.
The Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP) Raja Pervez Ashraf said that his party has always raised voice for the mainstreaming of tribal districts, and Khalid Maqboob Siddiqui of Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) said that it is a historic occasion for the tribal districts.
