ISLAMABAD: Senior leaders of the opposition in the National Assembly on Monday voiced solidarity with the tribal elders and vowed to raise their concerns on the floor of the house.

They made the commitment during their meeting with a delegation of tribal elders from South Waziristan comprising Wazir and Mehsud tribes who called on them. Among the leaders who met the delegation at the Parliament House were Omar Ayub Khan, Asad Qaiser and Mehmood Khan Achakzai.

The tribal elders apprised the opposition leaders of the objectives of their demonstrations and highlighted the problems arising from lack of compensation for the damages by the federal government, ‘One Document Regime’ and the subsequent closure of Angoor Ada border.

The participants of the meeting jointly passed a resolution underlining the redressal of grievances and joint efforts for the constitutional rights of the people of erstwhile Fata.

The leadership of the Tehreek-i-Tahaffuz-i-Ayeen-i-Pakistan vowed to support the demonstration of the residents of Waziristan.

It collectively demanded compensations to address the damages inflicted by military operations in the region and urged the federal government to honour its commitments to the people of the tribal areas.

They highlighted the destruction of homes, displacement of families, loss of livelihoods and the overall disruption of socio-economic infrastructure as key areas requiring compensations. They urged the federal government to approve Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government’s demand for compensation and demanded allocation in this regard in the upcoming budget.

It was regretted that despite promises, only tokens were issued to the residents of the region and no compensation had been made for the last eight years.

They submitted that the tribes on both sides of the border had familial ties and restricting their movement by closing the border added to their miseries.

“The closure of this border is not just a logistical inconvenience; it is a humanitarian issue,” they stated, adding that “families are being torn apart and economic activities halted”.

They maintained that in the current modern age, they were deprived of all kind of facilities. The residents lack access to higher education, healthcare, employment, business opportunities and mobile networks. As a result, they have been holding a peaceful protest for the last seven months to demand their constitutional and legal rights.

They meeting participants said due to the ‘One Document Regime’, students from schools, colleges, universities and religious institutions have missed their annual exams this year. Relatives have been unable to attend funerals while emergency patients have been suffering as they are unable to cross the border without a passport and visa.

Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Omar Ayub Khan said non-redressal of the concerns of the tribal citizens would erode people’s trust in the State. He said it was a question of the future of patriotic Pakistanis and that the government must take the demands of the people living in the tribal areas seriously.

Former National Assembly speaker Asad Qaiser said imposing barriers for the people would hinder economic progress and increase unemployment.

“It is both our duty and obligation to solve the problems of the people in tribal areas. During my tenure as the speaker of the National Assembly, a special task force was constituted to address the grievances of the people. If the issues are not resolved, we will take to the streets,” he added.

MNA Mehmood Khan Achakzai, endorsing the Jirga’s concerns, stressed that the people of the tribal areas had made immense sacrifices for Pakistan.

“It is our duty to ensure their voices are heard and their issues are addressed. The opposition will continue to staunchly advocate for their rights and bring their concerns to the forefront, both in the National Assembly and through public demonstrations,” he added.

Member of the Provincial Assembly from South Waziristan Asif Khan Mehsud stated that the ex-Fata region had been subject to sustained military operations since 2004 and the people of Waziristan had faced continuous displacement since 2006. Highlighting the plight of the people of Waziristan, he stated that they had paid immense price and that the State should honour the commitments it made to them.

The tribal elders invited the opposition leadership to their Grand Jirga to be held in Islamabad from June 4-6 and also urged them to visit the tribal areas.

Published in Dawn, May 28th, 2024