Fata Students Federation (FSF) has expressed serious concern over the dropping of FATA merger issue from the federal cabinet and described it tantamount to denial of basic rights to the people of tribal regions. FSF President Shaukat Aziz said if the government failed to accept the demand within one month the students would besiege governor house by setting up camps on the road to press for their demands.
Speaking at a press conference at Peshawar Press Club on Thursday he said that federal government had ignored core demand of the people of tribal regions for only reason to oblige Jamiat-Ulema-Islam Emir Maulana Fazal-ur-Rahman and Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party chief Mehmood Khan Achakzai.
Flanked by FSF office bearers including female representatives Ms Nausheen Orakzai, Fauzia, Naila Altaf, Irshad AFridi, Abdur Rehim Orakzai, Khayal Zaman, Misbahuddin, Shaukat Aziz said that the merger of Fata with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was a test case for Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his team.
He said that the concerned elected members of parliament had moved resolution in the national assembly for merger of Fata with KP which was overwhelmingly supported by maximum of political parties, civil society organizations, lawyers and students but even then the government ignored the demand.
The FSF leader said that Achakzai and Maulana Fazal-ur-Rahman had nothing to do with the problems of Fata people and they were trying to serve their own interests only. He said that the credit went to the Fata members of parliament who raised the core issue at the highest level.
He said that former military chief General Raheel (Retd) Sharif had also supported the demand to get the people rid of the black laws of FCR. He also demanded of CoAS Qamar Bajwa to support tribal people in the struggle for the merger of Fata. Similarly, the female students also urged politicians to join hands for resolution of the issue and get the people rid of the black laws. Nausheen Orakzai said that if Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Iqbal Zaffar Jhagra was unable to resolve the issue he should tender resignation.
She also opposed the demand for implementation of Riwaj Act, saying that it was not clear as to what was the Riwaj Act. She also criticized federal government for not giving representation to women in the Fata Reforms Committee and said that a vast population had been ignored in the process.
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