PESHAWAR - Jamiat Ulama-e-Islam-Fazl chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman while criticising Fata Reforms Committee on Saturday said in democracy decisions were made according to people’s aspirations rather than imposing someone else’s choice.
“We see majority of tribesmen are not in favour of merging tribal areas with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, so the federal government shouldn’t bulldoze their wishes,” he said while talking to media persons after presiding over a tribal jirga held at his party’s provincial headquarters, which was also attended by tribal elders and youth.
“Fata Reforms Committee, which comprises of peoples’ elected representatives, has morally and principally not right to suggest changes in status of an area. However, if it is too much necessary, then government should act democratically” he said.
There is an elected democratic government in the country, which makes all decisions according to peoples’ aspirations. Why it doesn’t consult tribal people if it really wants mainstreaming tribal belt, Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman said.
Why government didn’t hold referendum on future status of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) if it is held even in Scotland. Why those who are supporting tribal areas’ merger with Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) are afraid of holding referendum if they say they have the majority, he asked.
He said his party would oppose possible merger of Fata with KP as majority of the parliamentarians from tribal belt had put their weight behind the idea of mainstreaming these ever-neglected areas as part of tribal reforms.
Maulana said federal cabinet had taken a vague decision regarding tribal reforms as on one hand the cabinet had proposed mainstreaming Fata in next five years while on the other hand favoured representation to tribal areas in KP Assembly in upcoming general elections.
“I expressed my reservations over the cabinet decision after which I was told that the recommendations are not final,” he said while replying to a question regarding his statement that he was deceived by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in tribal reforms. He also ruled out any protest against cabinet decision on tribal reforms as he was optimistic about maintaining the independent entity of the tribal areas.
He rejected the government’s claim that 80 per cent of the displaced families had gone back to their hometowns in tribal areas, saying the tribal elders and their representatives told the JUI-F jirga that only 20 per cent of the displaced tribesmen had reached their hometowns so far. “We also disagree with government’s claims that all displaced families would return to their homes by April 30,” he said. The JUI-F chief said the census of tribesmen should be linked with completion of repatriation process as their names should be registered with their own homes.