FATA: Humiliated Once Again
By R.A Toori
17 April, 2010
Thefrontierpost.com
While politicians are engaged in celebrating their success on 18th Amendment, the people of FATA are uncertain about their future in Pakistan. Sixty three years have gone by but Pakistan could neither bring FATA in the mainstream of the country, politically or constitutionally nor improved the life of common man there. Twenty first century’s innovations, permutations, novelties, upgraded lifestyle, scientific developments and many more have nothing to do with life of the people of tribal areas of Pakistan. They are living in the stone age with warfare, humiliations, lack of health and educational facilities.
Till now when man is asking for more and more rights, the people of FATA are being ruled by archaic black law of FCR under which a common government officer named Political Agent is constitutionally authorised to exercise three main powers in one hand i.e. judicial, legislative and administrative. A Political Agent has two main tools for exercising his powers, one the so-called tribal elders called “Maliks” who always vend tribal interests in the hand of PA by monthly stipend known as “Longi” and the second is black law FCR. Eldership locally known as “Malaki” is inherited; the elder son of Malik replaces his father after his death and so on. The system was established by Britain for obliging Mir Sadiq and Mir Jaafar of tribal areas.
At local level the tribal voice is concealed and suppressed by these two filthy tools and in the centre FATA MNAs and senators sell tribal interests on very cheap prices i.e. by receiving funds, Longi, jobs, foreign visits and visits for Hajj. These senators and MNAs sell the jobs on high prices further among their own voters. Apart of this MNAs from tribal area sell their own votes in Senate election and alloy the majority party without any political ideology and concepts. FCR and Malaki help the Political administration in ruling over innocent tribesmen. Political administration can punish a man to life imprisonment and can set his house and property on fire without any reason and investigation. Because in tribal area there is no agency working for investigation and these Maliks work as spies too for the political administration. Interestingly for that Political Administration any verdict is not challengeable even in Supreme and High Courts of Pakistan.
This tradition, tribesmen are having from the day Pakistan came into existence. As a result the tribal people so far have received nothing from Pakistan but terrorism, poverty, unemployment and ongoing uncertainty. Throughout the tribal area there is not a single medical college, educational university and any technical college. I am surprised over how a responsible government of a sovereign state can ignore a conflicted area in making of constitution the way Government of Pakistan ignored FATA while the only reason of ongoing terrorism, problems, unrest and uncertainty is the black law FCR. The 18th Amendment contains nothing for FATA and brazenly it has been ignored. The people of tribal areas of Pakistan are much more patriots than people of any other area. They bow their heads when in national anthem the word “Pakistan” comes and they say “Amin” when at end “live long Pakistan” is recited.
Being oppressed and deprived of all basic facilities and human rights so far no anti-Pakistan movement comes from FATA. I have attended the 14th August celebrations almost in all parts of the country but the way it is celebrated with drums, dances, respect, cheers and affectionate feelings of patriotism in FATA, I have not seen elsewhere. They are the true patriots, nationalist and defender of long Afghan-Pakistan border. It was their patriotism they had fought for Pakistan against India in 1965 and 1971 and they were innocently used by Zia in the name of Holy War. President Zardari won the hearts of tribesmen when he announced reforms for FATA but 18th Amendment crushed their nascent expectations.
No change has been brought to Article 247 while President Zardari had shown his concerns over it time and again. In COD an idea about the future, structure and life standard of FATA exists but why did it remain untouched in constitutional remaking? Only that people there are busier with their own wounds, problems and injuries they have received from terrorism. Because of that their representative in Parliaments are paralyzed and incapable? Only that they are displaced, oppressed, dispersed and their houses are on fire? What the people of tribal area have is only because of Pakistan’s two charismatic leaders Z.A Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto. Pakistan has given to the tribal area bowls of begging, snare of slavery in the shape of FCR, devastation, insult and wounds? The people of FATA have the same rights as the people are enjoying in the settled areas of Pakistan and they would be no more patient with the situation if remains as they are. The legacy of Z.A Bhutto and MBB Shaheed was making the FATA a piece of heaven. But Reforms Committee has bitterly crushed this under their feet.
Today when every national is happy over 18th Amendment tribal people are shedding tears over their negligence. Tribal people were expecting silence from their own representatives over any maltreatment but were not expecting PPP will neglect the dreams of progressive and happy FATA always had dreamed by Benazir. Pakistan must realise the fact that progressive and peaceful Pakistan would remain just a dream without bringing FATA in the mainstream of the country. Let’s not waste any more time to tie the tribal people in the snare of archaic inhumane law FCR which keeps them totally inaccessible from the exterior world and pushes them to stone age. Let’s allow them equal rights and opportunities. Let’s give them due nationality, status and respect. Let’s stop humiliating tribesmen furthermore, only then will peace come to them and to the rest of the country.
