KHYBER
Leaders of the Federally Administered Tribal Area (FATA) Qaumi Jirga have termed the merger of the former tribal areas with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as “forced and unconstitutional,” claiming the decision was taken against the will of the tribal people.
Speaking at a gathering, members of the jirga cabinet including head of the Jirga Bismellah Khan, Sahibzada Fazal Karim Afridi chief coordinator, General Secretary Adam Khan,,Chief of Qabail and spokesperson of the Jirga Khan Marjan said that according to the vision of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the status of tribal areas could only be changed by the tribal people themselves.
They alleged that the merger was carried out only to satisfy American interests, particularly due to the geopolitical importance of the region.
The jirga leaders described the merger as a “forced integration” and vowed to continue efforts for its reversal.
They further stated that a case regarding the issue had already been filed in court, but no hearing was being conducted, which they termed unjust and asked the Chief Justice of Pakistan to grant them justice.
The promises made to tribal residents at the time of the merger had not been fulfilled, they added and alleged that funds allocated for the merged districts were being utilized in settled areas instead.
They also expressed concern over the deteriorating security situation in the tribal districts, claiming that unrest and displacement had once again started in the region.
The speakers said that while settled districts had universities and colleges, the merged districts still lack basic facilities, including higher educational institutions and healthcare services.
They urged the provincial government to establish universities and medical colleges in tribal areas to address long-standing deprivation and called to stop utilizing funds in Swat and D.I Khan reserved for the development of merged districts.
The jirga members appealed to the Pakistan Army Chief Gen. Asim Munir and other stakeholders to reconsider the merger decision.
The participants also called for the dignified repatriation of Afghan refugees and urged Pakistan and Afghanistan to resolve bilateral issues through dialogue and resume the border that suffered the general masses.
Tribal elders, they said, were ready to play a constructive role in promoting peace and negotiations between the two countries.
