By: Ali M Afridi
The tribes of Fata have been going through various difficulties for over 70 years. Despite the 21st century the basic problems of the tribes have not been solved. Fata tribals has faced war on terror, financial crisis , lack of education , lack of health , lack of water ,Unemployment .Military operation Etc last 20 years . Lets define EX FATA in short definition . The Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) is a semi-autonomous tribal region in northwestern Pakistan, consisting of seven tribal agencies (districts) and six frontier regions, and are directly governed by Pakistan’s federal government through a special set of laws called the Frontier Crimes Regulations (FCR). It borders Pakistan’s provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan to the east and south, and Afghanistan’s provinces. The territory is almost exclusively inhabited by the Pashtun, who also live in the neighbouring provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Northern Balochistan, and straddle across the border into Afghanistan. They are mostly Muslim.
After the integration, the tribal people were very happy and were thinking that now all the problems of the tribal people would be solved. But after years have passed, the tribes have come to realize that integration will not solve the problems of the tribes. After the integration, the difficult problems faced by the tribes. These issues have been raised by various political leaders and national leaders. After merger EX Fata tribals hardship has discussed .
FATA Quomi Jirga chairman Malik Bismillah Afridi said after merger our Ex Fata tribals students quota sets , MNA sets Senator sets different medical sets and others government sets of EX Fata has been finished as a result tribes of Fata has faced different hardship . Our current tribals MPAs has no things in KP assembly .Beausse our MPAs are protesting for tribals for there legal rights. Which is not a good omen for the tribes.
People of Swat, Mardan , Peshawar and Shangla are filling up the vacancies of the tribes . what will be future of the FATA educated students ? He said after the integration the tribals conflicts have been steadily increasing. Disputes that used to be resolved through jirga system in one month now after merger unresolved in the judicial system for years .
This has led to an increase in land disputes. As a result hundreds of tribesmen has killed. He further said that merger with the tribes 110 billion annually and 3% of the NFC award was promised. But even then a promise could not be fulfilled
FATA Quomi Jirga chairman Malik Bismillah said on this occasion that I am opposed to merger because the merger has led to the demise of tribal customs and freedom. Our tribes have been free for five thousand years. No one has ever ruled over the tribes of FATA it the time of integration the government did not pay any attention to the tribes and has integrated Without tribal opinion. Malik Bismiallah Afridi said that According to article 247 of Pakistan Constitution stipulates that the Federal Government of Pakistan will directly govern FATA . He said Parliament , Prime minister , chief justice etc can not change the status of FATA except the President of pakistan .Government omits Article 247 and imposes unconstitutional integration on tribes of EX Fata .
FATA Quomi Jirga Malik bismillah afridi said customs and traditions of our tribal peoples also different from other parts of the country that is why our tribes are facing a lot of difficulties such as Land disputes, Border conflicts , custom and traditions etc after merger . FATA Quomi Jirga Malik Bismaillah afridi added that tribal districts cannot afford more experiments such as IGR, Customs Act, ADR and now Justice of Peace. Our identity tribal customs, jirga should be restored . Tribal people want restoration of FATA special constitutional status which includes restoration of tribal customs, traditions and jirga not justice of peace because tribal people want their own identity which has been going on for many years
FATA Qaumi Jirga Chairman Malik Bismillah Khan Afridi said that sometimes IGR, sometimes Customs Act, then DRC and ADR and now Justice of Peace, how many more experiments will be done on tribal people . The real jirga should be customary and special constitutional status should be restored because our struggle is not for justice of peace but our struggle is for the end of FATA’s extra-constitutional integration and for the restoration of FATA’s special constitutional status .
Last he said the problems of the people in government offices have increased, people are also frustrated with the judicial system because they are having difficulty in getting justice and that is why the people are frustrated and are again turning to the jarga system to solve their problems through jarga system . Our case against merger is pending in the Supreme Court .
GUI Party Maulana Ghofranullah said that the integration has taken place by force. After the integration the tribes of Fata are facing difficulties in the administrative system. In addition several departments of KP have been active in the tribals districts. These departments of KP are only collecting taxes from the tribes of Fata and also taking over on the income of sources of the Fata tribes. He said unfortunately these departments of KP after merger are not spending any income on tribal major issues such as water , schools , road , Health , Agriculture , education ETC . After merger the government’s announcement of the 3% NFC award for Ex Fata but still did not materialize. The tribes are facing many difficulties in the new system. Such as the judicial system. Police system and others. Due to which the tribes of Ex Fata are going through a difficult period .
ANP leader Omar Afridi said that after the merger the Fata tribals districts were first given the departments that benefit the provincial and central government .These departments only work for there income not for benefit Ex Fata tribals . At the same time the different vacant posts held for the tribal districts are also occupied by various KP ministers. KP ministers from their own area peoples are recruiting in Ex Fata in different districts. Omar said Our Fata doctors have been transferred to remote areas of the country and people from Charsadda, Mardan, Swat and other areas have been deployed in the different near districts of merger area of fata which is condemnable . Omar Afridi further said that
When there is an advertisement for KP it does not give any chance to the tribal districts students beacuse of KP domicile . But when there is an advertisement of different vacancies for tribal of Fata there are available KP posts for kP peoples . After merger there was a political agent Which was in possession of resources. But still the tribes were benefiting from the political office in various forms. After the merger the resources of the tribes are occupied by the KP and Federal government Which there is no benefit for Fata tribes. At the same time the Fata IDPs of the tribes are facing various difficulties. The provincial government is silent on this. Which is reprehensible . According to Omar Afridi After the integration there are influential families in the Tribal district khyber Police system. Who holds important positions. On the other hand in khyber police Masters and M.Phil degree holders are doing duty in different hard areas of the Khyber . The educated police has ignored for every kind of post in department . Therefore the IGP and CCPO should keep an eye on the tribals khyber police system.In tribal Educated and sincere people should be given positions ( SHO) in district khyber and others merger districts of Fata So that the Police system in the tribes can become admirable . Beausse in current situation there has no changed in Police department after merger in tribals districts .
JI Party senior leader Zarghoon Shah Afridi said that FATA Tribals had promised NFC award before the integration. He said that the provincial government seized on mineral , forests and others resources of the tribals districts after merger . After merger the land dispute intensified. People are occupying lands by making fake papers. Due to which enmity has been added . After merger AC and DC are nominal so before merger APA was a thousand sins better because its order could be carried out.
Due to the incompetence of the provincial government, the problems of the tribes are constantly increasing. Different experiments are taking place in the tribal districts. Some are going to court and some are holding local jirga . Due to which the tribes are facing various difficulties
What will be the future of the tribes? I think the laboratory of this test in FATA should be closed further. The tribes should be given the same rights that have been given to other parts of the country. Because the tribes are part of this country. Tribals has many sacrifice for this country.