RECORDER REPORT

PESHAWAR: Speakers at a seminar have praised the federal government for initiating the step to bring positive changes in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA).

The seminar on ‘future of governance reform in Fata’ was organized by Fata Research Centre (FRC), an Islamabad-based non-government organization, at Bajaur Press Club in tribal Bajuar Agency.

Political and religious activists, representatives of trade unions, civil society members, journalists, student leaders and tribal elders attended the event in large numbers. Opening the conference, the organizers highlighted the aims and themes of the event and said the conference was aimed to have the opinion of people from all walks of life on the proposed reforms in tribal areas.

According to them, the FRC had launched such debates in all the tribal agencies. Among the speakers were JI local chapter emir Qari Abdul Majeed, chief of Usman Khel tribe Malik Mohammad Akbar, senior journalist Haji Habibullah Khan Aasi, PTI leader Mambar Khan, PkMAP president Mohammad Asghar Khan, Salarzai tribal elder Malik Dawood Khan Salarzai, ANP leader Shah Naseer Khan, student leader Asadullah Khan, traders association president Haji Akbar Jan, elder of Mamond tribe Malik Haji Gul Zada and social activist Engr Khaista Mohammad.

The speakers have warmly welcomed the proposed reforms in the tribal areas by the federal government and they termed the reforms necessary for sustainable development and ensuring fundamental rights to the people. They said FCR and absence of constitutional rights were the main hurdles to development of tribal areas.