ISLAMABAD: The federal cabinet on Thursday approved the reforms package for Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata).
The set of reforms were recommended by a six-member committee headed by Adviser on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz.
“The cabinet accords in principle approval to the recommendations of the Fata reforms committee.” PM House said in a statement. K-P Governor Iqbal Zafar Jhagra was also in attendance.
The premier said the people of Azad Kashmir, Gilgit Baltistan and Fata will be given their due share from national resources.
The two political allies of the government – Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI-F) and Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) – had concerns since day one. JUI-F’s chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman recently addressed a public gathering stating that his party was in favour of mainstreaming Fata but not its merger with K-P. Rehman later softened his stance about holding referendum in Fata by stating, “Let people of Fata decide their fate instead of outsiders.”
