Ex-Fata region development: NA speaker continues consultations with tribal elders

ISLAMABAD: National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser has said consultations with all stakeholders were imperative for progress and prosperity of former Fata region.

“Democracy demands consultations and the people of former Fata region have the right to be heard before finalising any recommendations to tackle the challenges being faced by the common people in the area.”

He expressed these views while addressing the tribal elders on the second day of the meeting with public representatives of erstwhile Fata, under the auspices of a working group on political affairs of special committee on development of Fata in the Parliament House on Thursday.

The speaker said the special committee would continue consultations regarding prevailing issues in the Fata region. He said that soon consultative meeting with youth, religious personalities and media representatives of ex-Fata region would be arranged. “I would try to arrange meetings of ex-Fata public representatives and the tribal elders with president and prime minister of Pakistan, so they could express their reservations and concerns regarding lack of basic health, education and infrastructure issues,” he said.

He also said that political lobbying would be on fast track for grant of 3 per cent share of the NFC for development and progress of ex-FATA region.

Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Noorul Haq Qadri briefed the participants about perspective of Fata merger challenges. He also said that the NA speaker had constituted a special committee on development of Fata. He said Asad Qaiser was making all out efforts to bring normality and development in the region.

He briefed the participants about the issue of NFC Award, share of ex-Fata, issue of seats of National Assembly for the region and land reforms matters. He said that the committee members desired to seek the elder's recommendations to resolve the lingering challenges after merger of Fata with Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province. He also said that the recommendations of tribal elders would be prioritised. The elders from ex-Fata region and Frontier regions appreciated the cooperation extended by Speaker Asad Qaiser. They said that was an issue of recognition of Fata people as it is enshrined in the Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan.

They also mentioned about merger challenges faced by people of Fata in terms of their health, education, infrastructure and law and order. They said that those were the Fata people who always stood with their country and they had sacrificed a lot to protect this homeland. They said that the House was sacred for them and they believed that the resolution of challenges would bring prosperity for the Fata people.