FATA be made new province or merged into KP: NA demands
National Assembly also demanded audit of the foreign aid, care of IDPs for permanent peace
ISLAMABAD: (Dunya News) – National Assembly of Pakistan on Monday demanded Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) to be either given status of a province or at least be merged into Khyber Pakhtunkhawa (KP) province. Demanding proper care of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) for permanent peace in the region, the members of the National Assembly demanded strict audit of the foreign aid and rehabilitation of the displaced tribal people.
MNAs from FATA told that the total number of IDPs was more than 2.5 million and rehabilitation of these IDPs for permanent peace was vital. Federal Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Sheikh Aftab suggested suspension of agenda for discussion on IDPs. Federal Minister for Frontier Regions Abdul Qadir Baloch presented the adjournment motion in the house to discuss IDPs.
Opposition Leader Syed Khurshid Shah said on this occasion that the government has lost its writ in FATA while the provincial government was protesting. He said that the problems were rising steadily while Pakistan’s passport was losing its value worldwide therefore, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif must take initiative and start talks with protesting Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI).
Minister for Textile Industry Abbas Afridi said that tribal people loved Pakistan as much as the people living in any other part of the country and their problems must be resolved on priority.
Shah Jee Gull Afridi said that FATA people were such warriors who fought without being paid.
Suleman Baloch demanded FATA to be made a separate province.
Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) leader Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao said that IDPs were Pakistan’s top most problem and demanded a parliamentary committee for this issue. He welcomed Army Chief’s statement regarding extricating Army from FATA.
Ghazi Gulab Jamal said that people living in FATA will always remain loyal to the state of Pakistan no matter how bad the conditions went. He said that the 23 billion rupees for War against Terrorism were handed over to Khyber Pakhtunkhawa’s (KP) provincial government whereas FATA had the first right on it. He said that the future of FATA must be decided. He said that the FATA representatives should be given legislative rights. “It must be decided now whether it is to be given status of a separate province or should be merged into KP”, he added.
