KHYBER: Fata Qaumi Jirga (FQJ) on Friday demanded the restoration of Fata and urged the federal government to include the reversal of the tribal region’s merger with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in the proposed constitutional amendment.

Senior FQJ leaders Malik Bismillah Afridi, Malik Khanmar Jan, Malik Tamash Shlamani and Malik Ziyarath Gul Mohmand told reporters at the Jamrud Press Club here that Fata was merged with KP against the aspirations of a majority of tribal people, who weren’t consulted by authorities about in it.

They said that the merger cost tribal areas dearly in the form of the elimination of their representation in the Senate, reduced strength in the National Assembly, and abolition of enrolment quota for local students.

The FQJ leaders declared the Fata-KP merger a “fraud and insult to the entire tribal region,” insisting that the move deprived the residents of their identification and centuries old valuable customs and traditions.

Fata Qaumi Jirga backs ANP’s call for removing word Khyber from province’s name

They said that they wanted a reversal of the entire process as it was the demand of a majority population of the erstwhile Fata.

They also supported the Awami National Party’s demand for the removal of the word “Khyber” from the province’s name saying the move has been proposed to restore the “pride and identity” of Khyber tribal area.

The FQJ leaders urged Jamiat Ulema Islam-Fazl leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman and Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami chief Mehmud Khan Achkazai to link their support to the proposed constitutional amendment with the reversal of tribal areas’ merger with KP.

They voiced concern about the poor law and order situation in tribal areas and urged security agencies to immediately take corrective measures.

POETRY SESSION: The district youth affairs department organised a poetry session at a park adjacent to the mausoleum of Pashto poet Hamza Baba in Landi Kotal here on Friday to highlight his literary works.

Local poets presented their works and paid tribute to Pashto’s Bab-i-Ghazal Amir Hamza Khan Shinwari, popularly known as Hamza Baba.

Assistant commissioner Adnan Mumtaz Khattak, who was the chief guest in the event, praised Hamza Baba’s contributions to literature, saying they will be remembered for decades to come.

He said that Hamza Baba advocated for peace and love, and gained recognition and respect both within the country and abroad.

Mr Khattak later presented shields to the participating poets and writers.

Published in Dawn, September 21st, 2024