The opposition and Fata lawmakers in National Assembly created a rumpus for dropping the Fata reforms bill from the agenda and left the House in protest. According to a report, the proceedings, soon after the question-hour, could not be run further due to heavy anti-government sloganeering by the opposition members in the House. Most of the lawmakers tore copies of the day’s agenda and gathered around the speaker’s podium in protest. The House echoed with slogans of ‘No-to-FCR’ chanted by the protesting lawmakers in full voice.
Fata lawmaker Shahabuddin Khan from the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz pointed out the issue in an emotional tone.
Fata MNA Shah G Gul Afridi also joined him raising the voice for Fata reform. “We don’t want to be traitors…Should we leave the country as this Parliament has nothing for them,” said Afridi repeatedly from his seat. However, his remarks could not become part of the proceedings as he failed to get the floor despite repeated attempts. Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Khursheed Shah, sensing the messy situation in the House, took the floor to compel the government to share the reasons behind the exclusion of ‘Fata reforms bill’ from the agenda. PTI’s deputy parliamentary leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi observed that the PML-N government was creating an atmosphere in country’s politics to serve the wishes of a few personalities. The leader of the opposition, during the speeches of opposition lawmakers, announced to stage a walkout as a protest against government’s move. Opposition members, unsatisfied with explanations from Minister for Safron Abdul Qadar Baloch and Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Sheikh Aftab, left the House in the protest. The opposition, as per its previous practice, left the hall leaving one of its members to point-out the required quorum ostensibly to suspend the proceedings. They successfully suspended the proceedings as the chair adjourned the House due to the lack of strength. Sheikh Aftab clarified that there was a need for further consultation on the Fata reforms bill. Qadar Baloch said that it was the privilege of the government to exclude it from the agenda. The Fata lawmakers had asked the government to take practical steps for Fata reforms including representation of Fata in 2018 general election, proper share in the National Finance Award.
It seems that government is grossly mishandling the FATA reforms issue and deliberately delaying the implementation on these reforms. Government had completed home work in this regard after a huge consultative process and majority of political parties were supporting these reforms. The government is avoiding implementation on FATA reforms to please its allies. The government should resolve the issue and should start implementation on FATA reforms as soon as possible.
