ISLAMABAD: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government, academia, media, human rights activists, civil society and FATA elders on Thursday said that it is high time to move forward and set priorities for mainstreaming FATA.
This was the crux of the conference titled “Implementation of FATA Reforms Package: Setting the Priorities” held at the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) in collaboration with the Ministry of SAFRON in Islamabad.
Speakers included; KP Finance Minister Muzafar Said, Advisor to KP CM Fazl-e-Elahi, PTI MNA Shehryar Afridi, Senator Sajjad Turi, Ayaz Wazir, Brigadier (r) Said Nazir, ANP leader Afrasiab Khattak, PPP leader Akhundzada Chattan, FATA Political Alliance President Sardar Khan, Dr Ashraf Ali, Dr Shehryar Khan and Karam Elahi.
Speaking on the occasion, Khalid Aziz said that over 73% of citizens in FATA were living below poverty line, adding that it is imperative that the reform process is carried forward to ensure relief to the citizens of FATA. He informed that this current package pursues the goal to bring FATA into mainstream and provide equal rights to its citizens in the modern era Pakistan.
Giving details of the government’s initiatives, Aziz hoped that the reform package will prove as a game changer not only for the people of FATA but the entire region in general. Elaborating the methodology for the phased implantation of the reforms agenda, the former chief secretary said the proposed 10 years comprehensive socio-economic development plan offers enough for the reconstruction of the damaged infrastructure besides creating job and employment opportunities to the unemployed youth.
Afrasiab Khattak said the government has to come up with a time frame for materializing the agenda. Pointing out to some of the lacunas and ambiguities the program has, Khattak called for a participatory approach. He added that the KP government, being important stakeholders must be fully taken onboard while making any decision on this front. In case of merger, Khattak suggested, an appropriate representation of the FATA people should be ensured on the floor of the House as well as in the cabinet to satisfy their grievances they have developed over the years.
Fazal-e-Elahi asked the government to overcome the ambiguities and come up with a clear-cut and well defined programme for FATA’s merger with KP. He suggested that the chief minister, being the chief executive of the province as an important stakeholder, should be in the driving seat for driving the reform agenda.
Muzafar Said while praising the reform agenda asked for more clarity on some of the points. He suggested that the government should make its point clear on how the Riwaj Act will work in the reformed FATA and what would be the working relationship between the elected representatives of KP and those coming out from FATA who would be answerable to the governor.
Expressing his reservations on the proposed Act, Shehryar Afridi raised questions on the will of the government. He said women should be given proper representation and due say in framing strategies for the implementation of the reform agenda.
Ayaz Wazir suggested that 3% share in the NFC award should be raised to 7% to address the long-standing issues of the marginalized and neglected region.
Sardar Khan asked for immediate materialization of the reform agenda to avoid the long awaited reform process from being spoiled at the hands of the spoilers and give the war-stricken people of FATA a chance to live in peace.
Chattan called for revisiting Pakistan’s Afghan policy as the country’s peace was directly linked with peace in Kabul. Any reform agenda would be meaningless unless there is peace in the region, he added.
Earlier, in his opening remarks, IPS Director General Khalid Rehman stressed that the issue was of great importance in national and global scenario. He said the situation in FATA calls for urgency but on the other hand, a phased and gradual approach to the implementation of the reform agenda was also necessary. Therefore, he recommended that balanced approach was necessary for the implementation of the reform agenda.
