There was total frustration and disappointment among a strong section of people when they learnt that the Government had deferred FATA reforms for an indefinite period.

They got the news through their chosen representatives who had a meeting with the Federal Minister for SAFRON, Lt-General ® Abdul Qadir Baloch, who conveyed the bad news that the FATA reforms had been deferred for an indefinite period.

The reason claimed to be the disapproval of the proposal by the establishment in the present uneasy environment around Pakistan, it is not possible to implement the FATA reforms as the FATA Commission demanded at least three per cent fund to implement the merger of FATA with the KPK. Political opponents of the Government claimed that the PML opposed the idea merely because of the huge fund which it wanted to spend in the Punjab Province instead of KPK on the pretext of the merger of FATA.

In any case, the funds are saved after it was decided to defer the FATA reforms, mainly merger of FATA with KPK as a greater and bigger Pashtun Province of Pakistan. Democrats in Pakistani politics and human right activists were found more interested in restoration of fundamental human rights of the FATA people without any delay. At the moment, Frontier Crimes Regulation (FCR), known as a black laws since the days of British colonial rule more than a century ago, is governing the territory which was used to be the ‘No Man’s Land’ between the British Empire and Afghanistan.

Even after a lapse of 70 long years, successive Governments in Pakistan failed to grant minimum human rights to the people of FATA. Most of political parties giving high value to human rights and dignity of man in their politics had struggled for decades demanding restoration of basic human rights of the FATA people at once.

It is a bad news for the people of Pakistan for the delay that the FATA people are denied to pass a decent life and under a democratic Government in Pakistan. It is more deplorable that two political allies of the PML Government—the JUI and PMAP—had opposed the FATA reforms, mainly the merger of FATA with KPK at once.

While speaking on the floor of the National Assembly the other day Mr. Mehmud Khan Achakzai, the PMAP Chief, suggested that the FATA should be retained as a ‘No Man’s Land’ which attracted strong reaction from the House and most of the Members condemned this proposal.

The stand of JUI, mainly Maulana Fazlur Rehman, has no clear idea about the future of FATA seemingly he is confused or unclear as he and his party will be reduced to a tiny minority if FATA becomes part of the greater KPK Assembly.

Most of the Pakhtun based political parties and the PPP are in support of immediate merger of FATA with the KPK granting fundamental rights to the people at once or treating them at par with other citizens of Pakistan.

They vowed to launch an agitation if the Government fails to merge FATA with the KPK or the FATA Commission Reforms are delayed inordinately.

The people of Balochistan are showing greater interest in forming a bigger and greater and more influential Pakhtun Province within the Pakistani Federation ultimately merging the annexed territory of Afghanistan.

The annexed territories were made part of Balochistan arbitrarily and for administrative reasons should also join KPK in the supreme interest of the people of Pakistan.

The annexed territories are not part of the Baloch Mainland and thus should be merged with the KPK. In case of delay, it will also cause frustration and dismay among the people of Balochistan. Since Mehmud Khan Achakzai is more interested in retaining the present position of FATA, it is more feasible for him to support the idea of making annexed territories of Afghanistan, now part of Balochistan, should be made yet another tribal agency joining the FATA system of Government. In any case, the area is not part of Baloch Mainland and it be separated at once so that Balochs should regain their full right as a complete and consolidated Federating Unit of the Pakistani Federation without sharing any political or economic rights with any other nationality or ethnic group barring the historic cultural minorities whom are part and parcel of the Baloch Mainland for the past many centuries.