Hameed Ullah Wazir
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The political wrangling developed in the aftermath of Panama scandal put the much-debated FATA reforms package into quagmire, causing despair among Federally Administrated Tribal Areas (FATA) people.
People of FATA are still living under widely-condemned the Frontier Crimes Regulations (FCR) — a special law framed by Britishers to control the tribesmen, which exists nowhere in the world.
On Friday, under the collective responsibilities act of FCR, local authorities dynamited a market in Rustam Bazaar of South Waziristan’s headquarters Wana as a punishment for an explosion which killed an army officer and injured many others earlier this week.
The initial report of Parliamentary Committee on FATA Reforms was already tabled before both houses of the Parliament for debate on the direction of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
The prime minister had also directed the committee members and his National Security Adviser Lt-Gen(r) Nasir Khan Janjua to hold talks with all stakeholders on the fate and future of the area which must be reflective of the aspirations of the people of that area.
However, the much-needed FATA reform process brought to a halt since the emergence of Panama controversial leaks and the subsequent political turmoil in the country to hold those named in the Panama accountable.
All the political leaders are mainly focus on the Panama issue instead of abolishing the FCR and mainstreaming FATA.
At this juncture, when all the religious and political parties remained tightlipped pertaining to the issue of FTAT reforms implementation, FATA Students Organization (PSO) held a wonderful gathering at Nishtar hall Peshawar against the abolition of the century-old black law as known FCR.
The participants stressed the need for abolishing FCR forthwith and holding of local bodies elections.
They demanded that FATA should be merged with KP and vowed that the struggle for due rights to be continued until justice be done.
Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) MNA from South Waziristan Ghalib Khan said that the blowing of the market was really a tragic development and the government needs to expedite the implementation of FATA reform.
He said that undoubtedly the Panamagate put the FATA reform issue on back burner; however; the lawmaker said that he will meet Lt. Gen (R) Abdul Qadir Baloch, State Minister for SAFRON in this regard so as to speed up the process.
Ghani Gul, a senior Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader from FATA said that merger of FATA into Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) is panacea to the long-pending issue.
However, he regretted that despite lapse of 70-year no sincere efforts have been made to do away with the century-old black law.
Lashing out at Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) Chief Maulana Fazal Rehman, Ghani Gul raised a question that where was he (Fazal Rehman) when people of tribal belt were living a miserable life in various parts of the country as IDPs.
Ghani said that Fazal Rehman like politicians would never support the abolition of the FCR, because they are the direct beneficiary of the system.
“People of FATA paid heavy price for the future of the country, but unfortunately no package has been announced to help end the rising sense of deprivation among them,” he maintained.
Saifullah Mehsud, director FATA Research Center (FRC) was of the view that it is worrisome the focus has been shifted from the much-needed FATA reform issue because of the prevailing political wrangling in the country.
He said that though the momentum created in FATA regarding mainstreaming the area is dying down; however he expressed hope that the despite government lack of interest to do away with the FCR the dream would come true soon.
Saifullah Mehsud, however, suggested that people of FATA should demonstrate unity and do not let the issue die, because it is right time to abolish the black law.
The FCR comprises a special set of laws of Pakistan, which are applicable to FATA of northwestern Pakistan. The law states that three basic rights are not applicable to the residents of FATA – appeal, wakeel and daleel (the right to request a change to a conviction in any court, the right to legal representation and the right to present reasoned evidence, respectively).
The FCR has its origins in the Murderous Outrages Regulation (FOR) which was enacted by the British Empire to prosecute crimes in British India. The Murderous Outrages Act 1877 was specifically devised to counter the opposition of the Pashtuns to British rule, and their main objective was to protect the interests of the British Empire. The laws are currently applied by the Government of Pakistan to FATA residents.
Spread over 27,220 square kilometer, the Fata comprises seven agencies—-Bajaur, Mohmand, Khyber, Kuram, Orakzai, South Waziristan and North Waziristan while six frontier regions including FR Bannu, FR Lakki Marwat, FR Tank, FR Peshawar, FR Kohat and FR DI Khan were also part of these federally administered tribal areas.
Earlier before compiling the recommendations for reforms in Fata areas, the Parliamentary Committee on FATA Reforms, which has no local representation, had visited all the tribal agencies and held meetings with the elected representatives of those areas, including businessmen, tribal elders and youth.
