LANDI KOTAL, June 25: The Khyber Agency chapter of Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf has opposed the merger of Fata in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and demanded status of separate province for the tribal region.

A resolution to this effect was unanimously passed at a meeting of PTI office-bearers and workers in Jamrud on Monday. The meeting was presided over by PTI Fata organiser Javed Afridi. The meeting observed that the will of a single political party could not be imposed on millions of tribesmen and urged the federal government to respect the will and opinion of majority of Fata residents about their future status.

The meeting took serious exception to the ongoing military operations in tribal areas with particular reference to Bara sub-division of Khyber Agency and demanded an immediate halt to all the military 'adventures’ in Fata.

Participants of the meeting also took serious stock of the displacement of thousands of families from Bara and other parts of Fata and urged the concerned authorities to arrange for a respectful return of all the IDPs to their respective areas.    The meeting urged the federal government to initiate a series of dialogue with different stakeholders in Fata in order to restore peace in the region and put an end to the so called war against terrorism.

“The PTI upon its coming into power will end all military operations and will also shoot down drone plans if they were found violating the Pakistani airspace and targeting innocent people,” the meeting cautioned through another resolution.