PESHAWAR: The participants at a national conference here on Monday asked the government to take the issue of drone strikes to the United Nations...a formerly good idea gone bad...
if it could not stop the attacks by force.
Centre for Discussions and Solutions had organised the conference titled "Fata issues, problems and solutions." Former chief of Jamaat-e-Islami
...
The Islamic Society, founded in 1941 in Lahore by Maulana Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi, aka
The Great Apostosizer. The Jamaat opposed the independence of Bangladesh but has operated an
independentbranch there since 1975. It maintains close ties with international Mohammedan groups such as the Moslem Brotherhood. the Taliban, and al-Qaeda. The Jamaat's objectives are the establishment of a pure Islamic state, governed by Sharia law. It is distinguished by its xenophobia, and its opposition to Westernization, capitalism, socialism, secularism, and liberalist social mores...
Qazi Hussain Ahmad
... third president (1987--2009) of the Pak Jamaat-e-Islami. Qazi was also head of the Muttahidah Majlis-e-Amal until his ego became bigger than the organization. Qazi is what is known as a
fierypreacher, which means he has lots of volume, a good delivery, and not a lot of reverence for coherence. He was the patron of Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, Rasool Sayyaf and Osama bin Laden during the war against the Soviets. He used to recommend drining camel's urine to maintain good health before his kidneys started to go...
heads the forum.
Tribal elders, retired bureaucrats and representatives of civil society groups attended the event and proposed recommendations about the future of Fata.
Through a joint declaration, the conference asked the government to utilise all available resources to protect national illusory sovereignty and halt drone attacks in tribal areas. "If it can't stop such attacks by force then it should take the issue to the UN," it said. The declaration said that government should take concrete measures for safety of innocent citizens from drones.
It called upon the government to disassociate itself from the US-led war against terrorism and follow joint resolutions of the parliament.
It said that government should also halt military operations in Fata and send security forces back to the barracks. The conference termed traditional jirga the best forum to resolve conflicts and disputes.
The government should constitute an elected tribal assembly and elected representatives of the proposed assembly should recommend political, administrative and legal reforms for themselves, it said.
The declaration said that government should abolish draconian clauses of Frontier Crimes Regulation and Regulation in Aid of Civil Power in Fata and also announce a comprehensive economic package for the area on the pattern of Balochistan
...the Pak province bordering Kandahar and Uruzgun provinces in Afghanistan and Sistan Baluchistan in Iran. Its native Baloch propulation is being displaced by Pashtuns and Punjabis and they aren't happy about it...
Central leader of Pakistain Tehrik-e-Insaf
...a political party in Pakistan. PTI was founded by former Pakistani cricket captain and philanthropist Imran Khan. The party's slogan is
Justice, Humanity and Self Esteem, each of which is open to widely divergent interpretations....
and former ambassador to Kabul Rustam Shah
Mohmand... Named for the Mohmand clan of the Sarban Pahstuns, a truculent, quarrelsome lot. In Pakistain, the Mohmands infest their eponymous Agency, metastasizing as far as the plains of Beautiful Downtown Peshawar, Charsadda, and Mardan. Mohmands are also scattered throughout Pakistan in urban areas including Karachi, Lahore, and Quetta. In Afghanistan they are mainly found in Nangarhar and Kunar...
while addressing the conference supported FCR and opposed extension of Political Parties Order, 2002 to Fata.
He argued that political parties had been operating in Bloody Karachi
...formerly the capital of Pakistain, now merely its most important port and financial center. It may be the largest city in the world, with a population of 18 million, most of whom hate each other and many of whom are armed and dangerous...
and Balochistan despite that law and order situation had been deteriorated there. "If political parties can't deliver in Bloody Karachi and Balochistan then do not expect any role from them in Fata," he said. He also gave arguments in support of FCR. Other speakers criticised the former ambassador for supporting FCR and role of political agents.
Former parliamentarian from Khyber Agency Advocate Abdul Lateef Afridi suggested merger of Fata with Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa
... formerly NWFP, still Terrorism Central...
. He said that awarding status of a separate province to Fata could create more complications and disputes among tribal people.
Qazi Hussain Ahmad said that political and military leadership should put their heads together to find out viable solution for the future of Fata. He said that military operations had created unrest and sense of deprivation among tribal people. He said that army action and drone strikes could not resolve issues in Fata. He demanded immediate return of internally displaced persons.