Ministry of States and Frontier Regions (SAFRON) made public the report of Committee on FATA Reforms on Aug 26,
2016.
Based on report of the committee, Institute of Policy Studies arranged a roundtable conference on Sep 07, 2016, to analyze the
report and put its efforts in the policy circles. The recommendations are mainly derived from the discussions held in the
roundtable.
Fundamentally these reforms are a good
initiative to mainstream FATA like other
areas of Pakistan. The package has covered
major aspects and most of the focal points
have been touched. The reforms are timely,
needed and are also accepted to most of the
stakeholders. It is a historical opportunity
for the government as well as locals. The
planning is better but its implementation
should be done at their best. The
government should go ahead without any
delay and implement the reform agenda as
soon as possible. While implementing the
reforms, concerns of the locals should be
weighed and addressed for sustainability
and suitability of the reforms.
Substantially, the package includes major
portions of the society but the procedures
and processes vague the reforms process,
so the procedural issues should be at stage
2 and implementation should be started
immediately without going into long
procedures.
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Nevertheless, there are certain substantial
and procedural issues which present an
ambiguous situation and leads to arising of
new questions, i.e. Article 247 of the
constitution stops parliament from
interfering in FATA affairs, while report
suggests that it will continue till 5 years.
While implementing the reforms,
concerns of the locals should be weighed
and addressed for sustainability and
suitability of the reforms.
The parliament can only discuss FATA
when Article 247 is abolished or amended,
so legal reforms are worthy and needed to
precede the implementation of reforms
agenda.
The figures of population shown by the
report are termed as exactly those shown in
the census of 1998. It is understandable
that the committee has no other authentic
 option to rely upon yet it may affect the
upcoming decisions based on the
population. It will also affect the
distribution of National Finance
Commission (NFC) Award, which is based
on population, so there should be a
scientific approach for solving this issue.
Another issue is the position of judge
which is unclear, whether it will come from
judiciary or bureaucracy. It needs to be
made clear. The judge should belong to
FATA, so that he may be aware of the local
customs and traditions.
The Local Bodies Act is still at mercy of
the governor and locals have no say in it.
Institutionalized approach can be fruitful in
decentralization of powers to the hands of
the local people. Election Commission
may the best available option for this
purpose.
For better implementation of reforms
locals should be made part of the policy
making process and implementation as
well. The Popular Will should be
respected more. The Apex Committee
should also include the representation from
FATA.
During transition period governor of KPK
should be selected from FATA for better
implementation of the reforms package. As
a whole he recommended to implement the
reforms agenda with some amendments for
better implementation and acceptability.
The position of the chief executive is seen
as unnecessary in the presence of FATA
secretariat headed by Chief Secretary of
the province.
The legitimacy of the merger of FATA into
KPK is also questioned by different circles
that although it is accepted widely, yet it is
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against the principles of adult franchise and
the locality should have been asked. The
decision is seen to be against the Terms of
Reference (ToRs) of the committee,
because it has not consulted the people
directly. Referendum was a viable option
with them, because if elections for National
The figures of population shown by the
report are termed as exactly those shown
in the census of 1998.
Assembly can be held peacefully then it is
easier to hold a referendum for deciding
their fate, too. It is hereby proposed that
holding of referendum during or after the
completion of the transition period is a
viable option for avoiding any future
mishap.
The proposed plan of township in Agency
Headquarters should be made clear that
whether the required land will be grabbed
from the locals or will be paid accordingly.
The concerned tribes should be consulted
before taking any further action for
avoiding of any uncertainty and peaceful
completion of the project.
The merger may also raise the concerns of
non-Pashtun ethnicities within the
province due to over dominance of
Pashtuns, so this should also be focused.
CPEC is for the prosperity of the whole
country so its Western Route should be
made open to FATA and be made more
sellable and acceptable.
The merger will also affect our
relationships with Afghanistan due to the
presence of 11 provinces of Pashtuns at
that side of the border with many other
 stakes. So Pakistans Policy towards created through addressing of the
Afghanistan should be made clear in this questions.
regard.
The historical sensitivity of the area should
CPEC is for the prosperity of the whole
also be considered and for sustainable
country so its Western Route should be
development, FATA should not be
administered rather governed. The made open to FATA and be made more
implementation of reforms should be sellable and acceptable.
according to the ground realities.
The government should also prepare a Furthermore, the issue should be addressed
backup plan in case Parliament rejects the based on national interests and the ethnic
reforms agenda, so that the process should issues should not prioritize the national
not stop at once. The criticism should be interests.
minimized and broad consensus should be

Prepared by an IPS Task Force | For queries: Mairaj-ul-Hamid, Asst. Research Coordinator, mairaj@ips.net.pk | www.ips.org.pk

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