The FATA Reforms’ Forum (FRF) demanded on Monday the government include ‘true’ representatives of the tribal people in Pak-Afghan peace jirga taking place in August, who had the influence in tribal areas to implement the jirga’s decisions. The FRF also announced its support for FATA Grand Alliance that will hold tribal loya jirga on June 14 in Peshawar. “The jirga, which will take place in Kabul this year, will be meaningless if people representing Pakistan are not influential and cannot implement the jirga decisions in tribal areas on this side of the border,” FRF President Engineer Zaman Khan Dawar said while addressing a news conference along with Senior Vice President Iqbal Khyberwal, General Secretary Barkat Ali Afridi and others.Dawar said FATA reforms committee, which was formed in 2000 and converted into FATA Reforms Forum in 2006, had prepared a reform document. He said President Pervez Musharraf approved FATA reforms at an important meeting on January 23, 2002. “However, these reforms could not be implemented due to the prevailing international situation and law and order problems in tribal areas,” said the tribal leader. Dawar said the 9/11 incidents completely changed the situation on both sides of the Pak-Afghan border.
The FRF leaders said various tribal organisations, ulema, senators, members of the National Assembly, agency councillors, scholars, intellectuals, students, journalists, lawyers and FATA chamber of commerce representatives had formed Grand FATA Alliance to design a joint strategy to solve the tribal peopleÂ’s problems.
They announced support for the jirga and urged tribesmen to attend the loya jirga in large numbers. The FRF leaders said the proposed loya jirga was the first step towards identifying problems of tribesmen and suggesting their solution. They said the jirga would focus on two issues, security and the political future of tribesmen. The FRF also said it supported Senator Hamidullah and Advocate Karim Mehsud in their efforts for the welfare of tribal people.
Meanwhile, tribal elders and representatives of various organisations in Mohmand Agency had announced their support for the June 14 jirga, which will be organised by the FATA Grand Alliance in Peshawar. At a press conference held at the Ghalanai Press Club, they urged tribal people in the agency to attend the loya jirga to make it a success.