Other small and large jirgas against integration in the former FATA’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have been held almost every second or third day since the first day of integration in the tribal districts.
Unhappy with the integration of the tribal districts, the tribesmen threatened on October 30 that if the integration was not ended, thousands of tribesmen would soon turn to Peshawar and Islamabad for protests.
Jirga leader and former senator Hamidullah Jan Afridi told The Independent Urdu that the tribesmen would prefer to live with a wealthy federal government rather than a poor provincial government. He said the integration had damaged his Pashtun traditions.
According to further details, a political jirga was held in Waziristan on Saturday to withdraw the decision of integration, which was attended by parliamentarians, clerics, and tribal elders from all the tribal districts.
The second jirga was also held on Saturday in Khyber District by the FATA National Jirga, in which the elders of the area addressed the participants against tribal integration. In this regard, a jirga was also held on October 22 in Orakzai district in which it was demanded to withdraw the decision of FATA integration.
Other small and large jirgas against integration in the former FATA’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have been held almost every second or third day since the first day of integration in the tribal districts.
Proponents of the integration have suggested that the Frontier Crimes Regulation (FCR) was imposed on the tribesmen by the British, which has been the subject of decades of “inhumane” and “black law”. , Which has now been changed.
The argument of the opponents of integration
FATA Qaumi Jirga leader Malik Bismillah Khan Afridi, while discussing the issues arising out of the integration into the tribal districts, told The Independent Urdu: Was
He said that the most unacceptable articles 21 and 22 of the FCR were in fact in accordance with Pashtun traditions. Because even in Pashtun society, revenge for a person’s crime is taken from other members of the family.
Unacceptable provisions of the FCR could have been changed, but on the contrary, FATA was integrated into Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Which has damaged our Pashtun traditions. At the same time, access to justice has become complicated and slow. Malik Bismillah Khan said that land disputes have also become dangerous after the merger.
According to him, before the merger, when war broke out between two tribes over a land dispute, it would continue until the elders and political agents became guarantors. Now, when the war breaks out, it takes a dangerous turn because the government machinery is not fully functional, and the elders cannot be legally guarantors.
He cited the recent incident in Kurram district as an example. Thirteen people were killed in a battle over a common property dispute between the two tribes.
Presenting other arguments against the integration, the FATA Qaumi Jirga leader said that he was demanding the withdrawal of the integration decision because the promises made to him had not been fulfilled.
According to him, after the integration, the quota of tribals in educational institutions and government jobs was abolished. The promise of giving 100 billion annually and giving 3% in the NFC award was not fulfilled. Promised to recruit 25,000 levies, the reverse levies force was abolished.
Bismillah Khan said that at the time of integration it was said that the tribal districts would remain ‘tax-free zones’ for ten years. But after the merger, all kinds of taxes have been imposed on them.
The integration of the former FATA took place under Western pressure
Former Senator Hamidullah Jan Afridi told The Independent Urdu that the tribals were given a flawed system in a hurry without consulting the tribesmen. There is a Western agenda behind the integration,” he said.
Defending his statement, he said that before the merger, some Western institutions, such as the US Consulate General, tried to persuade him. Hamidullah Jan said, There were some flaws in the previous FATA system which could be rectified by making changes.
We have never been in favor of integration he said. Integration has been imposed on the tribesmen in violation of Article 247-6 of the Pakistani Constitution. I think we would rather live with a rich federal government than a poor provincial government.
The argument of the tribesmen who support integration
Akhtar Gul, an executive member of the All FATA Youth Jirga from Bajaur district, told The Independent Urdu that “integration has given tribal districts provincial representation.
The problems of the tribes are slowly but surely being solved. TMA offices have arrived. Courts have been opened, where cases are being worked on. 1122 stations have been spread in all the districts. Patwari system has been started by recruiting retired tehsildars to resolve property disputes.
Akhtar Gul said Recently, in all the union councils, the chairman of Zakat has received Rs 2.8 million to help the poor. Earlier, a tehsil used to get only seven or eight lakhs. Local elections will further benefit the tribal districts
Akhtar Gul said that it has become difficult for the ruling party to defend itself in terms of funds. The withdrawal of quotas and non-disbursement of funds in educational institutions has also disappointed some people who have been campaigning for the government.
On the other hand, regarding the funds, the provincial finance minister Timur Jhagra told The Independent Urdu that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government gave Rs 15 billion from its budget to the tribal districts after the merger and is trying to provide more funds, while the rest of the provinces They broke their promise
