Sher Alam Shinwari
The volatile Federally Administrated Tribal Areas (Fata) has been the centre stage for the world powers’ theatre for the last over several decades.
The unfortunate tribesmen have suffered huge losses on many fronts when Fata became a war zone and a safe haven for foreign terrorists and homegrown anti- state actors.
The tribal society was painted as flock of savage animals and its history once drenched in peace shown as a saga of brutalities to the world audience. The dust of Afghan war was yet to settle down when the tragic 9/11 incident took place and drove the attention of world people yet again to the infamous war theatre.
According to an assessment report, compiled and released by Fata Secretariat, the war against terrorism since 2006 till present times has left around 4,375 tribal people and 2,192 security personnel dead and thousands others seriously injured. Millions of tribal residents were forced to flee the area owing to military operations and militant attacks. The already weak infrastructure -- roads, schools, healthcare centres, markets and other public places -- witnessed an unprecedented devastation.
The tribal culture, art, music, self-defence mechanism and jirga system smashed into pieces. The tribal areas turned into an information black hole.
But despite all odds, tribal people stood for their rights and were able to get their voice heard. They saw a thin ray of hope when at last, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif announced a Fata reforms committee in November 2015. The committee was tasked to hold deliberations with all segments of Fata comprising of seven tribal agencies and six frontier regions (FRs).
The committee finally submitted its report to prime minister and federal cabinet approved Fata reforms on March 2, 2017. But ever since, the unnecessary delay to pass it through the National Assembly following the President’s assent to make it part of the country constitution has created unrest among various stakeholders including common tribal people, elders, women and youth.
People of Fata with one strong voice stood with the demand for merger of Fata into Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the otherwise would prove a disaster, said Bakht Jehan wazir, a university student from South Waziristan Agency. He said that delay in implementation of Fata reforms package would further aggravate the situation and would let tribal people lose confidence in government.
The enlightened tribal elders, political and religious parties came up for a substantive change in Fata and put forward several suggestions but every word on agreement was directed towards saying goodbye to the British era Frontier Crimes Regulations (FCR).
Mehreen Afridi, chief of Fata Youth Forum (FYF) and chairperson of Fata Youth Empowerment and Development Association (FYEDA), told this scribe that women should have a lion’s share in the Fata reforms package especially in two fields -- health and education. She said that tribal women should have a say in the decision making so that they could get their rights.
“Today Fata women have talent and strength to demand their rights and can raise their voice on every forum. Fata reforms cannot be successful unless rights of women are ensured. Delay in Fata reforms is not tolerable. Immediate implementation of the reforms package is demand of every tribal woman,” said Ms Afridi.
Political analyst Prof Khadim Hussain said that mainstreaming Fata through a five-year plan was tantamount to sheer injustice with tribal people. He said that it was beyond his understanding that governor should be authorised to exercise the power to spend developmental funds in Fata for a decade.
Analyst terms Rewaj Act ‘a copy of Frontier Crimes Regulation’
He said that after implementation of Fata reforms, tribal people expected local bodies’ elections in the region. “Further delay in mainstreaming Fata would create deep rifts among Fata people and would strengthen shadows of doubts in their minds. Fata reforms need immediate implementation,” he said.
Prof Khadim said that inclusion of Rewaj Act in Fata reforms seemed to be a duplicate of FCR. It showed insincerity of government with Fata people, he added.
Ejaz Khan Mohmand, chief of Fata Lawyers Association (FLA), said that Fata reforms package was a welcoming move but delay in its implementation was disappointing as it would deepen unrest among Fata dwellers.
He said that legal fraternity in alliance with political forces would continue to struggle for early merger of Fata with KP so that tribal people could get access to high court and Supreme Court for the rights.
“We would keep our struggle up in various forms including conferences, seminars, protests and sit-ins till we get our rights,” said Mr Mohmand.
Amir Khan Afridi, president of Fata Youth, told this scribe that young generation of Fata was determined to realise their cherished dream to get their rights from the rulers, who kept them in a pitched darkness for decades. He said that tribal people could no longer bear any delay in getting their due rights.
“Whether our elders want it or not but we, the youth of Fata, would go to every extent to turn the Fata reforms package into a reality. It is ‘now or never’ issue for us.
This time around, our slogan is not hollow, it carries a solid substance,” he said.
Haji Shahjee Gul Afridi, MNA from Khyber Agency, said that the people of Fata would never retreat from their genuine demands.
He said that civil bureaucracy was a major hurdle in the way of realising the dream of tribal people in letter and spirit.
“Implementation of Fata reforms including merger of tribal areas with KP would complete the creation of Pakistan.
It is a ‘do or die’ issue for us. Noncompliance would force us to march on the capital and stage a decisive sit-in there,” he said.