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FATA alliance demands expulsion of army from tribal areas
The FATA Grand Alliance (FGA) demanded on Thursday the government withdraw the army from tribal areas and form an autonomous legislative FATA council elected by tribal people to solve their problems.The grand alliance urged foreign elements to leave the tribal areas, as they had no connection with FATA. The FGA, an organisation comprising FATA elders, ulema, parliamentarians, doctors, engineers, lawyers, councilors, journalists and students, held a meeting at a local hotel on Thursday to approve its 8-point agenda and demanded the government accept its demands to solve peoples problems. Later, briefing the media at the Peshawar Press Club, FGA President Abdul Karim Mehsud advocate said the loya jirga (grand alliance) formed a committee, which would talk to FATA politicians to assure them that the FGA was a non-political organisation and its aim was not to harm political parties. The FGA has been formed to solve tribal peoples problems, said Mehsud in the presence of numerous tribesmen belonging to various walks of life. Mehsud said one could not solve problems through guns. We want jirgas and dialogues as thats the only way to solve problems, said the FGA president. He said a handful of abnormal people were unnecessarily opposing and criticising the FGA. We are showing tolerance. They are our brothers and we ask them not to divide tribal people, he said. Mehsud said the loya jirga would arrange a walk on August 14 from Khyber House to Peshawar Press Club and the Governor House to express solidarity with Pakistan and urged the government to fulfil our demands. We want to tell the world we (tribal people) are not terrorists and are not undemocratic people. We are organised people and the best in the world, said Mehsud. The FGA president demanded the government form an elected and independent legislative FATA council to solve the problems of tribal people. Tribal people want a forum where they could discuss their problems, consult each other and resolve all matters on their own, he said. Prominent among those present during the briefing were Col (retired) Amanullah Khan Orakzai, Nisar Mohmand, Iqbal Khabarwal, Abdul Hakim Shinwari, Taj Mahal Afridi, Dr Said Alam Mehsud, Advocate Samiullah, Advocate Rashid Ahmed, and Advocate Sartaj Ahmed. Posted by: Fred 2007-07-13 |
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