Opposition's boycott of NA proceeding on FATA Reforms Bill enters 5th day

ISLAMABAD: Opposition parties’ on Thursday boycotted National Assembly's proceeding for fifth day against the withdrawal of the bill pertaining to the reforms in the Federally-Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) from the agenda of the house.

The members vowed to continue their boycott until the government tables the FATA Reforms Bill in the National Assembly.

On a point of order, the Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Syed Khursheed Shah said that black law i.e Frontier Crimes Regulations (FCR) had been imposed for the last 70 years.

“It was impossible for us to accept two different laws in one state” he added. He said that the government had pulled out the FATA Reform bill from agenda without taking opposition parties into confidence.

Khursheed Shah said, “We will not accept British rule in FATA, we have 1973 constitution and it should be extended to FATA also.”

“About 95 percent FATA people are unanimous to be part of Pakistan and we want to give them constitutional rights,” he added.    PPPP Parliamentary Leader Naveed Qamar said, “No question hour, no business will be allowed to carry out in the National Assembly till the inclusion of Federally Administrated Tribal Area bill in the agenda”.

“It was unanimous decision of the opposition parties not to attend the proceeding of the house, so we are leaving the house”, he said soon after Deputy Speaker announced question hour.

Speaking on an agriculture issue, he said it was unfortunate that government was not considering the problems being faced by the sugarcane growers and subsidy announced by the government had not been passed on to the farmers.

PkMAP Parliamentary Leader Mahmood Khan Achakzai said, “it is my democratic right to oppose any issue in the parliament, FATA reform bill will create problems for the country”. He said that FATA issue should be solved by taking the people of area into confidence and decision against desire of the people will not be acceptable.

MNA Sheikh Rashid said that the issue of FATA reform is very important and serious. “The entire opposition parties are unanimous not to attend the National Assembly proceedings till the inclusion of FATA Reforms Bill in the agenda”.

MNA Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao said recommendations of the FATA reform committee were very encouraging. “Parliament is the supreme institution and all the issues being confronted by the country should be resolved here”, he added.

He urged the government to take the credit for the FATA Reforms Bill and make FATA part of the KPK. He asked the government to allocate provincial seats for FATA.

“Majority of the people in FATA, especially youngsters desire to be part of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa”, he added.