ISLAMABAD: Ameer, Jamaat e Islami, Pakistan, Senator Sirajul Haq, has said that the government is backtracking on its commitments to the FATA people.
Talking to the media after Senate session here on Tuesday, he called upon the government to implement the recommendations of the Sartaj Aziz committee. He also demanded that FATA be placed under the jurisdiction of the Peshawar High Court instead of the Islamabad High Court for the convenience of the tribal people.
The JI chief said that law and order as well as basic infrastructure in the tribal areas had been ruined. Besides, the work on the rehabilitation of the roads, bridges and schools remained suspended mainly due to rampant corruption. Thus, the tribal people were deprived of their basic rights. Lack of educational facilities and job opportunities was causing hardships for the tribal people.
Sirajul Haq said that the tribal people wanted a change but the Political Agents were a hurdle as they did not want the tribal areas to be out of their tyrannical hold.
He said that the religion, culture, language and the racial background of the people of FATA and Khyber P, were the same. As such, he said, the enforcement of the Tribal Riwaj Act in FATA was incomprehensible. Besides, he said, having two separate Secretariats in the Khyber P, provincial capital Peshawar was bound to create complications.
The JI chief questioned if Dir and Swat states could be merged into Khyber P, why could not the tribal areas. And why the elected Assembly Members from FATA were not allowed to participate in legislation?
He further said partial implementation of the FATA reforms was not the correct approach. Besides, he said, delaying the process for five years was also unjustified. The reforms process should be completed before the next year elections, he added.
Sirajul Haq also demanded of the government to allocate three per cent in the NFC award to the tribal areas as per its commitment and also give this decision a legal cover. He said that dividing the tribal areas into safe and unsafe area was not the correct approach.
Meanwhile, Ameer, Jamaat e Islami, Pakistan, Senator Sirajul Haq, has announced Solidarity Day with the Rohingya Muslims on Friday, Sept. 22 all over the country.
On the day, countrywide protests would be held on the silence of the United Nations, the world community and the Pakistan government over the repression on the Burmese Muslims and for the Pakistan’s failure in expelling the Burmese envoy in the country on the issue.
Rallies and protests would be held in the federal and the provincial capitals to express solidarity with the Rohingyas.
INP
