ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Friday issued directives for measures to mainstream Federally Administration Tribal Areas (FATA) so that tribal people could have access to the fundamental rights at par with the people in rest of the Country.
While chairing a high-level meeting of National Committee on the Implementation of FATA Reforms in Islamabad, the prime minister directed the Minister for Law and Justice Zahid Hamid to fast track legislative and administrative measures in this regard.
The prime minister reiterated that the basic purpose of FATA reforms was to improve the living standard of tribal people who had suffered enormously due to a long war, insurgency and widespread displacement in the past three decades.
The meeting was attended by Chief of the Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa, Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Iqbal Zafar Jhagra, Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pervez Khattak, and Minister for SAFRON Lt General (retd) Abdul Qadir Baloch, Zahid Hamid, Deputy Chairman Planning Commission Sartaj Aziz and Senior Civil and Military Officials.
The Committee noted with satisfaction the positive response in the Parliament and tribal areas over the FATA reforms package which was approved by the Cabinet on March 2.
The Committee took many decisions to expedite the process of its implementation. It approved the fast-track recruitment of police and re-deployment of some of the Frontier Constabulary (FC) after training to perform police functions.
It was also decided to put in place an appropriate administrative mechanism and to create a position of Chief Operating Officer during the transition period.
The COAS briefed the committee on the successes achieved in establishing writ of the state throughout FATA and on the steps taken to strengthen security, border infrastructure and the development efforts during the last few years.
