DERA ISMAIL KHAN, Nov 5: Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman said on Monday that continued presence of armed forces in Fata had raised questions about freedom and sovereignty of tribesmen.

Addressing a tribal jirga and talking to reporters in Dera Ismail Khan, he said tribesmen were independent people and the government should first restore their independent status and then make decisions in accordance with their wishes and opinions.

He said a jirga would be held in Peshawar on Nov 9 and a grand jirga on Dec 16 to discuss recommendations of the earlier jirga and take decisions about the future of Fata.

The Maulana said the jirga would try to ensure that its decisions were acceptable to tribal people and armed groups.

He said the jirga would take tribal people into confidence on any decision about their future in accordance with presidential regulations and a resolution of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly about making tribal areas an independent province or merging it into Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The Maulana said that drone attacks continued in Fata despite parliament’s unanimous resolution.

He said the government should realise that the use of military force would not resolve the crisis.

He said the JUI-F respected views of tribesmen and for that reason a 38-member committee had been formed with representation from all tribal agencies. He said that several meetings were held in tribal regions and “we got positive opinions and suggestions.”

He said the nation should think for solidarity of the country, instead of relying on the US and its allies.

Opinion

Editorial

Military convictions
Updated 22 Dec, 2024

Military convictions

Pakistan’s democracy, still finding its feet, cannot afford such compromises on core democratic values.
Need for talks
22 Dec, 2024

Need for talks

FOR a long time now, the country has been in the grip of relentless political uncertainty, featuring the...
Vulnerable vaccinators
22 Dec, 2024

Vulnerable vaccinators

THE campaign to eradicate polio from Pakistan cannot succeed unless the safety of vaccinators and security personnel...
Strange claim
Updated 21 Dec, 2024

Strange claim

In all likelihood, Pakistan and US will continue to be ‘frenemies'.
Media strangulation
Updated 21 Dec, 2024

Media strangulation

Administration must decide whether it wishes to be remembered as an enabler or an executioner of press freedom.
Israeli rampage
21 Dec, 2024

Israeli rampage

ALONG with the genocide in Gaza, Israel has embarked on a regional rampage, attacking Arab and Muslim states with...