ISLAMABAD: The PML-N and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) are holding up reforms in tribal areas as the heads of both parties have yet to sign off on the recommendations of the Joint Committee on Fata Reforms, prepared around six months ago.
Dawn has learned that the 11-point recommendations, approved by the representatives of the country’s 10 mainstream political parties, have already been endorsed by the heads of eight, including the PPP as well as religious parties and others that are represented in parliament.
Ajmal Khan Wazir, the focal person for the committee formed in 2010 to develop a consensus on electoral and political reforms in the troubled Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata), confirmed to Dawn that they were awaiting an appointment with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and PTI chief Imran Khan so they could present the committee’s recommendations to them.
Mr Wazir, who hails from South Waziristan, said that despite their different ideologies and agendas, all 10 political parties had reached a consensus on the recommendations, which was no small feat. He said all parties acknowledged the need to ensure that residents of Fata get the same rights, freedoms, protections and economic opportunities that were available to all Pakistanis.
“The recommendations are the outcome of some three years of hard work,” he said.
Mr Wazir, who is also the senior vice-president of PML-Q, said that despite the fact that representatives from all parties had approved the recommendations, they thought it appropriate to seek formal endorsement from the heads of all parties.
He said they had already given detailed presentations to PPP Co-Chairmen Asif Zardari and Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Awami National Party’s Haji Adeel, PML-Q president Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, Qaumi Watan Party chief Aftab Sherpao and former Jamaat-i-Islami chief Munawwar Hassan.
Moreover, he said, the committee members had also visited the MQM headquarters “Nine Zero” in Karachi and Dr Farooq Sattar also held a news conference with them.
In addition, Balochistan Chief Minister Abdul Malik Baloch was one of the members of the committee and that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Sardar Mahtab Ahmad had stated that in principle, he agreed to the recommendations.
Mr Wazir said that they had already briefed the members of the Senate standing committees on defence and human rights and all their members had endorsed it.
Asked what the status of Fata would be in the future, Mr Wazir said this would be decided by the people of tribal areas, either through a referendum or a jirga. This was the only sticking point where parties had different positions. Some wanted Fata to become a part of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, others wanted to see it as a separate province.
The recommendations include democratising the jirga system, separation of executive and judiciary powers, abolishing the Actions in Aid of Civil Power Regulation, and extending the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority’s jurisdiction to Fata.
The committee has also called for amendments to Article 247 of the Constitution, granting fundamental rights to the Fata people and the right to legislate for the elected representatives of Fata in the National Assembly and Senate.
In addition, the committee has also recommended holding local bodies’ elections in the violence-hit area and the implementation of a comprehensive package for its infrastructure development, with focus on health, education and employment.
Published in Dawn, June 16th, 2014