AMJAD ALI SHAH

PESHAWAR: Ameer, Jamaat-e-Islami, Senator Sirajul Haq has called for revisiting the foreign policy to bring improvement in relations with Afghanistan and other neighbouring countries.

“Peaceful and prosperous Afghanistan is in best interest of Pakistan as well as entire region,” JI Ameer said while addressing a meeting at Al-markaz Islami in Peshawar on Friday. In wake of prolonged border with the country, he said the current deteriorating situation of Afghanistan will adversely impact Pakistan particularly Federally Administered Tribal Areas, Fata.

The meeting was attended by JI Central Secretary General, Liaqat Baloch; deputy Ameer, Mohammad Ibrahim Khan; foreign affairs head, Abdul Ghafoor Aziz; JI Ameer on Afghan Affairs, Shabbir Ahmad Khan; JI provincial Ameer, Mushtaq Ahmad Khan; Secretary General, Abdul Wasay and other leaders of JI.

Sirajul Haq blamed that due to poor policies of Islamabad, Kabul has turned against Pakistan and has become one of the rivals. He alleged that increasing Indian presence in Afghanistan is an attempt to weaken Pakistan economically and leave Pakistan defenceless ideologically. He said that Indian lobby is fortifying due to failed and wayward foreign policies of our country.

He viewed that the tribesmen had been deprived of all fundamental rights since the inception of the country. “Tribesmen are living as slaves due to imposition of draconian law, in shape of Frontier Crime Regulations Act in Fata,” he added.

JI chief said that the infrastructure in Fata has been completely damaged due to prolonged war against terrorism. He added that there were no established medical or engineering colleges, and there was no university in Fata. He said that the college up-gradation as Fata University in Dara Adam Khel was a joke with tribal people.

Sirajul Haq said Fata people were not provided best healthcare, education, livelihood, and other necessary facilities. He said the unprecedented electricity load-shedding, acute shortage of clean drinking water, and other issues have made life of tribal people miserable.

He asked the government to announce a comprehensive package for construction of medical and engineering colleges, university, rehabilitation of damaged infrastructure, and up-gradation of health facilities in tribal region.

He demanded that Fata should be given maximum share in National Finance Commission Award and China Pakistan Economic Corridor projects to end the sense of deprivation among the tribal people.

Sirajul Haq called for immediate merger of Fata with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which he said was long-standing demand of tribal people and dire need of the hour. Those people against the Fata-KP integration and the proposed reforms agenda were not sincere with tribal people, he added. He vowed that his party will stand shoulder to shoulder with people of Fata and would continue its struggle for their genuine rights.