LAHORE: Ameer, Jamaat e Islami, Pakistan, Senator Sirajul Haq, has said that the FATA Political Alliance, enjoying the support of all the political parties, would hold a grand rally on October 29, at D Chowk in Islamabad, in support of the government proposals for giving the tribal area special status and making it a part of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province.
Addressing a press conference in the presence of representatives of all political parties in Islamabad on Monday, he said that the rally would support the move made by the FATA parliamentarians on this score. Thousands of people from all the eight tribal agencies would join the rally at which leaders from all political parties of the country would also be invited. He also demanded a special package for the uplift of the tribal areas.
Sirajul Haq sad it was high time that the tribal areas were brought into the national mainstream and the tribal people were also given the rights enjoyed by the people in the other parts of the country and they were freed from the colonial era oppressive FCR.
The JI chief saluted the FATA Political Alliance for demonstrating complete unity, remarkable prudence and unparalleled unity for arriving at the decision for the inclusion of FATA into Khyber P province and putting forth this demand. He said now it was the responsibility of all political parties of the country and the institutions to support this demand instead of trying to divide the tribal people on the issue.
On the occasion, the JI chief was flanked by the FATA Political Alliance chief Akhudzada Chattan (PPPP), PTI’s Brig. Rtd Qayyum Sher, ANP’s Nisar Mehmand, JUI’s Zarnoor Afridi, and JI’s Sahibzada Haroon Rashid Abbasi.
Sirajul Haq said that the tribal people had always honored their commitments made to the Quad e Azam Muhammad Ali Jinanh, and had offered huge sacrifices and even their blood, for the country. However, he said, that for the last 69 years, the tribal people had been deprived of their civic and political rights and had been left far behind in the race for economic development.
The JI chief said that at present, the tribal areas had a political vacuum which must be filled, and added that the vacuum could be filled by merging FATA into Khyber P. and giving it PATA like special status given to Malakand division.
The FATA Alliance chief Akhudzada Chattan, lauded the services of the JI chief for the FATA people and for raising voice for their rights.
On the occasion, Sirajul Haq drew the government attention to the pitiable plight of the IDPs and called for making immediate arrangements for their return to their homes as the winter had set in.
