FATA Bill To Prove A Good Decision: Opposition Lawmakers

The opposition parties in the National Assembly Thursday were unanimous in declaring the passage of Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) Reforms Bill as very good decision, focused on eliminating gaps between tribal areas and rest of the country

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 24th May, 2018 ) :The opposition parties in the National Assembly Thursday were unanimous in declaring the passage of Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) Reforms Bill as very good decision, focused on eliminating gaps between tribal areas and rest of the country.

The National Assembly passed the bill with 229 votes vs one vote, which is aimed at integrating the Provincially Administered Tribal Areas (PATA) with the respective provinces and the Federally Administrated Tribal Areas (FATA) with the province of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and bringing the people of tribal areas in the main stream.

Speaking in the National Assembly after the passage of the bill, Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, Imran Khan congratulated all the members on the passage of bill and said that time would prove it a very good decision, as there were great anomalies because only 40 laws of Pakistan were implementable in FATA.

He said that there was a vacuum as the old system had ended and new system was not in place and external forces could have taken advantage of it. There was looming danger that foreign forces would be using it, he said adding, despite being Pakistanis, the people of FATA had no voice.

He said that the bill would address their grievances to a great extent besides removing the anomaly. However, he said that there were challenges as it would take some time to implement the country's laws adding that the process should be done in phases as there was no proper infrastructure in place.

He suggested that a committee should constantly sit and discuss the issues that may be faced in implementation of this bill. Pakistan People's Party leader, Syed Naveed Qamar said that it was matter of satisfaction that a colonial system was eliminated from the country for ever by bringing the FATA Reforms Bill.

He thanked all the parties that worked together, saying that despite difference almost all the parties came on same page as far as the bill is concerned. He said that this was not only the bill of merger but it had virtually eliminated the differences, which were created between FATA and rest of the country.

He said that the bill is yet to be passed by the senate and the provincial assemblies, however the consensus created in National Assembly would be reflected in provincial assemblies also. He expressed the hope that senate would pass it tomorrow and would also be passed by provincial assemblies in a couple of days.

PTI leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi also thanked the parliament for playing their due role in passing the bill. Sahibzada Tariqullah of JI also congratulated all the parliament, specially the Prime Minister as one of the old issues of tribal areas was resolved after 70 years.

All lauded the services of all those who have put their energies in resolving the issue, he said that the FATA would transform from 'Elaqa Ghair to Elaqa Khair.' He said that FATA has given great sacrifices in fight against terrorism and this bill would provide them great relief.

Shahabdudin said that this was a historic day for the whole country, particularly FATA. Meanwhile, Leader of the opposition Khurshid Ahmad Shah raised the issues of water the Sindh province has been facing. Nawab Yousuf Talpur also highlighted the water scarcity problems and urged that Sindh province should be given its due share from the available water resources.