ISLAMABAD – Federally Administered Tribal Areas or commonly known as Fataremained under tribal system for over a century. After 1947 partition andBritish withdrawal from the region, the Fata tribal leaders opted to joinPakistan but insisted to follow the same old Jirga system which is nowconsidered outdated. The Constitution of Pakistan administered Fata throughthe same rules introduced by the British in 1901 known as Frontier CrimesRegulations (FCR). All civil and criminal cases in Fata were decided by ajirga (council of elders) as the tribes regulate their own affairs based oncustomary rules and unwritten codes.
All these years, people of Fata remained neglected as Pakistan’s mainlandlaws and judicial system did not apply in the region constitutionally.
The long-awaited merger of Fata with neighbouring KP province aims toextend political, judicial and administrative reforms for Fata as the doorfor development and application of Pakistan’s economic development projectsin Fata has been opened.
Fata’s five million population, residing in seven agencies namely Khyber,Kurram, Orakzai, Mohmand, Bajaur, North Waziristan and South Waziristan,will now enjoy equal rights to gain access to health, education anddevelopment along with other provinces.
The bill abolishes century-old repressive colonial-era FCR law imposed intribal areas and will bring peace and prosperity to Fata region which haslong suffered during Pakistan’s war on terror.