Tribal leaders from various political parties have demanded of the President Mamnoon Hussain and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Shaukatullah Khan, to announce holding of local bodies elections through regulation in Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata), termed that a conspiracy being hatched to ignore tribal people from this democratic right.
"The government should prepare a draft for regulation with consultation of relevant stakeholders, to properly hold a local bodies polls in Fata, said that former Senator and a tribal leader of Jamiate Ulema Islam Abdul Rashid while briefing media persons at a news conference at press club on Tuesday, regarding the decisions and recommendations of jointly organised "All Parties Conference", which was held under auspicious of different political parties here last day.
Flanked by Guldad from PTI, Haji Rahat and Anwarul Haq of PML-Nawaz, Auranzeb Inqalabi and leaders of other political parties, he informed that the holding of APC was aimed to formulate a joint strategy for coping with the issues being facing tribal people since last a decade. He viewed that the Fata was kept deliberately economically, socially and administratively backwards, by imposing prolonged military operations and US drones attacks.
Rashid said the law and order is core issue of Fata, which can only be addressed using all peaceful means. "Fata has faced two types of wars, including ground battle carrying out by security forces, while other in shape of US drone attacks, in which innocent tribesmen were killed, including women, children and aged, he observed. "We only demand for establishment of sustainable and durable peace by using any means in Fata and rest of the country, said Abdul Rashid.
"We would strongly support all those efforts, which were merely taken by government and other stakeholders for restoration of peace and ending of prolonged militancy," he appreciated. While explaining the recommendations and decision of joint APC, Abdul Rashid said that the establishment of peace is utmost responsible of the government, which need to fully materialise of its prime obligations with effective manner.
Referring the introduction of reforms by former PPP-led government in Fata, he said that the step was not brought any significant change in social fabric of the tribal society, as the reforms were yet to be implemented in tribal region. He alleged that certain forces were not willingness to hold local bodies' election in Fata, under a well-organised plan and conspiracy in Fata.
"It was totally unjust to keep Fata underprivileged by such policies, he said, demanded to immediate hold a local government elections to address the tribesmen issues at the grass root level. Welcoming the ruling PML-Nawaz convened APC in Islamabad, he said it was a positive step of government for establishment of durable peace in the country, particularly in Khyber Pahtunkhwa and Fata. But, he asked government to immediate initiate peace-talks with Taliban without any further delay. He demanded the tribesmen should also be consulted prior to initiation of peace-dialogue as key stakeholder in this process.
About the US secret predators strikes on Fata, he said the government should take the issue seriously instead of merely sticking to verbally condemnation against the constant hitting US drones on tribal region. Regarding creation of "Qabalistan" and reforms in Fata, he said that the decision was unacceptable without consent of tribesmen for creating of separate province of Fata, and he also termed the Fata reforms was mere a eye-wash, as yet to benefited the tribesmen form this decision.
The joint APC, he said also expressed concern over depriving the Fata in Prime Minister recently announced package, demanded of the announcement of special compensation and relief package for tribal people affected by prolonged militancy and insurgency. During the all parties' conference, he informed that a committee was unanimously constituted comprising of all representatives from political parties. The committee members, he said were included Akhunzada Chattan from PPP, Abdul Latif Afridi of ANP, Syed Wali Shah of PML-N, Iqbal Afridi from PTI, Jamaat-i-Islami Zar Noor Afridi, Shahid Orakzai from PML-Q, while he himself representing from JUI side.
