Jirga rejects Fata’s merger with KP

JAMRUD: A jirga here on Saturday rejected the ex-Fata’s merger with the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and demanded repeal of the 25th Constitutional Amendment.

The jirga was held in Shahkas area in Jamrud Tehsil of Khyber district at the hujra of Malik Bismillah Khan Afridi. The local political leaders and notables participated in the jirga.

Announcing to launch a movement against the merger, the jirga members offered to play their role in ending the stalemate between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Malik Bismillah Khan Afridi, former federal minister Hameedullah Jan Afridi, Malik Muhammad Hussain Afridi and others said that the promises made to the people at the time of merger could not be fulfilled due to which the tribal people had become disappointed.

Hameedullah said the army chief during his visit to Peshawar had announced the creation of a separate secretariat for the development of tribal areas, but the government was hesitating to create it. “We demand that a separate secretariat should be formed for the development of tribal areas,” he said.