Political parties advance FATA reform agenda (3min)

Farhatullah Babar: The given FCR is a completely wrong. It requires adequate changes. Akhunzada Chattan: There is no doubt in saying that the people of FATA do not want FCR. Rehan Hashmi: Why do you call it “Illaqa-e-ghair” (the alien land) when they are the same Pakistanis. Why are theu deprived of the local government? Why aren’t they granted the basic human facilities which are available to the rest of Pakistani citizens? Ajmal Wazir: You conduct the general elections in FATA, which is your requirement, then why not the local bodies elections? We invited almost 15 Senators from the Senate Standing Committee of Human Rights and the Senate Standing Committee of Defence. We briefed them and afterwards we conducted a press briefing, where Afrasiab Khattak, Mushahid Hussain, and Shujaat Hussain endorsed these points. Such a serious efforts might not have been made in the past. You would have noticed all the parties of this committee have different ideologies but I would say that the credit goes to these 10 parties who in their joint efforts have built up a consensus on 11 consolidated reforms in which PML-N is also represented by its 3 nominated members. All of us are nominated by our respective leaderships. Our basic objective behind our efforts in meeting leadership of various parties and trying to build up a consensus is to bring such an amendment to article 247 as was brought by 18th amendment. As long as the article 247 exists, we won’t have any authority even if the local bodies’ elections are held. 2 clauses of article 247, clause 3 and clause 7. Principally the constitution which is implemented in whole of Pakistan, that same constitution should be implemented on us. We the 10 political parties say that if the government wants dialogue then they should go ahead. We are with them, but at the same time we also say that this is a short term policy and we suggest for a longer term policy by suggesting implementation of reforms. Taking from the past it is must to implement reforms otherwise the problem would stay here forever, unless the 11 points reforms recommendations are implemented.