Senate too passes Fata bill

The Senate passed a landmark constitutional amendment on Friday extending widespread political, administrative and human rights reforms to Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) - a region that had long been a safe haven for militant groups.
In the 104-member House, 69 votes were needed to pass a constitutional amendment with a two-third majority, which the government managed despite opposition by two of its allied political parties - Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami party (PKMAP) any Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F).
Seventy-one votes were cast in favor of the bill, while there were only five votes against the bill as five PkMAP senators voted against the crucial amendment as well as staged a walkout from the House terming it a 'black day' for FATA.
The JUI-F senators, however, abstained from vote on the bill, saying the FATA merger is being done against the wishes of tribal people - a claim which both treasury and other opposition political parties plainly reject.
The Constitutional (Amendment), Bill, 2018 that sees merger of FATA with KP, has now been passed by both National Assembly and Senate and it will now be sent to the provincial assembly for passing a resolution - a constitutional obligation.
It effectively abolishes draconian colonial-era regulations that the districts had been governed under for decades, making its five million citizens as equal citizens of the Pakistani federation. The opposition political parties especially PTI and PPP kept recalling the struggles made by their respective leadership for mainstreaming of FATA.
"It's because of my leader Imran Khahn's struggle, we are seeing this big day today," said PTI Parliamentary Leader in Senate Azam Swati. "We succeeded as we passed the bill [on Fata reforms], but you miserably failed in your motives," he chided JUI-F Senator Maulana Ghafoor Haideri for criticizing the bill.
Former Chairman Senate Raza Rabbani lauded the passage of bill, saying there is a long struggle of tribal people and missing persons due to which the bill is passed. He said that the powerful establishment has always remained involved in matters of FATA.
"Given the situation, the late Benazir Bhutto had formed a committee to look into FATA reforms and then in 2009, the then President Asif Zardari wanted to do this but he couldn't do it as certain powers did not want it. Now with intentions of those powers, it happened," he said.
He regretted that the Parliament did not initiate FATA reforms at its own rather they did it after they were 'prodded' from outside, which is quite unfortunate. "The Parliament couldn't do anything at its own rather it acted as a puppet," he regretted.
Reflecting on the recent commotion over a separate province in Sindh, Rabbani warned that even though the National Assembly had asserted that the 31st Constitutional (Amen-dment) Bill, 2018, shall lead to creating more administrative units, division of provinces on the basis of administrative needs will not be allowed.
"Every province has a heritage, language, culture and history. A new province will not be allowed without the presence of such ingredients, and we will not create any more provinces," he declared.
Rejecting Rabbani's assertion, Senator Muhammad Ali Saif of MQM said that creation of more provinces and administrative units is need of the hour to better manage things, as big provinces have miserably failed to come up to the expectations of people.
Opposition Leader in Senate Sherry Rehman said the PPP did not dance to the tune of powers who have been opposing FATA mainstreaming, adding the PPP has history of struggle for the rights of FATA people.
She recalled that that the first committee on FATA mainstreaming was formed by the then Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, as he had tasked Gen Nasirullah Khan Babar to look into the matter.
The late Benazir Bhutto even approached Supreme Court for the rights of the people of the tribal areas, she said, adding the people of FATA had become a buffer zone since colonial era "but at least we must not make them our buffer zone anymore."
Emir Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Sirajul Haq stressed that the merger will strengthen KP with additional representation in the Parliament. Condemning the Frontier Crimes Regulations (FCR), he said a British officer had termed the law "worst" as tribal people had a history of fighting against the Britain.
Opposing the bill, JUI-F's Senator Abdul Ghafoor Haideri said there is no logic in the decision. "Since the matter is about the people of FATA and their identity, they should have been asked what they want. There were three better options: separate province, repealing of FCR or a council system."
Senator Usman Kakar of PkMAP said that the bill was passed in haste due to the uncertainty of the upcoming general polls.
"These people [senators] are in a hurry to pass the bill because they've standing orders from [CoAS] Gen Qamar Bajwa to pass the bill immediately. Let me tell you if this bill is passed, the next elections will be delayed," he claimed.
Chairman Senate Sadiq Sanjrani congratulated the members on the passage of an all important bill. He said that with the mainstreaming of FATA, the Senate of Pakistan has fulfilled its promise made with people of tribal areas.