PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Pervez Khattak said on Thursday that Fata (Federally Administered Tribal Areas) would be formally merged with KP in 2019 after holding of elections in the region for giving its people representation in the provincial assembly.

“Elections for the KP Assembly are likely to be held in the region in March or April 2019 and then the government will notify Fata’s merger with the province,” Mr Khattak said while addressing a press conference at the CM House.

He said Fata would be merged with KP in 2019 and for this purpose the government would issue a notification in next May. He said that elections would be held in Fata to give representation to tribal people in the KP Assembly.

The chief minister said that elections for local governments would be conducted in Fata in October next year. “The government would make necessary amendments in the Constitution to pave the way for Fata’s merger with the province.”

Mr Khattak said these landmark decisions were taken in a meeting of the National Implementation Committee on Fata Reforms in Islamabad on Wednesday.

Mr Khattak attended the meeting that was chaired by Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi.

The committee took a number of important decisions and finalised the “timeline” for various actions required to be taken for the mainstreaming of Fata, including its merger with KP. The committee also ordered abolition of the Agency Development Fund.

The chief minister urged leaders of the Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) to start talks with the jirga formed by KP Governor Iqbal Zafar Jhagra for acceptance of their demands within the framework of the Constitution. He said talks between the PTM leaders and the jirga should begin as soon as possible. “The PTM should start talks with the jirga immediately to avoid confusion and uncertainty,” he added.

Mr Khattak said he was taking up genuine demands of the PTM at all forums.

Governor Jhagra on the recommendation of the provincial apex committee constituted a 44-member jirga to hold talks with the PTM.

The jirga comprises elders from all tribal agencies, Frontier Regions, parliamentarians from Fata and political figures from Malakand region.

The jirga and PTM leaders have held two rounds of talks in Khyber Agency. Date for the next round of talks has not been fixed so far.

The PTM, a social-political movement, is demanding release of missing persons, abolition of ‘unnecessary check-posts’ from Fata to KP, removal of landmines and justice to the legal heirs of Naqeebullah Mehsud, who was killed in a fake encounter with police in Karachi.

The PTM has launched a movement for acceptance of its demands and is holding rallies across the country.

The army has either abolished several check-posts in Fata and KP or handed over them to police and Levies personnel.

Published in Dawn, May 4th, 2018