Joint sitting of parliament: FATA MPs to boycott President’s address

SHABQADAR: Lawmakers from the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) announced on Tuesday that they will boycott President Mamnoon Hussain’s address to the joint sitting of parliament over the government’s decision to delay the Fata reforms.

The parliamentary leader of Fata in the National Assembly Shah Jee Gul Afridi confirmed to The Express Tribune that they will boycott the joint session.

Afridi added that the tribal belt’s lawmakers will be having a meeting with all the opposition parties in the NA and Senate over the issue. He also urged the lawmakers to help them in resolving the Fata reforms issue. He added that the opposition leaders have also assured them that they will protest with them in the upcoming session over the delay in Fata reforms.

The lawmaker also urged the president to use his executive authority and change articles 246 and 247 through a presidential order to enable the Fata lawmakers to get involved in active lawmaking process inside parliament.

Talking in detail about his plan Afridi said that after the boycott they will march on Islamabad and hold a protest in front of parliament till the fulfillment of their demands.

Fata lawmaker from Bajaur Agency and PML-N leader Shahab Uddin Khan also backed Afridi’s demand and added that he will also boycott the session.

Khan also said that although some lawmakers from Fata are not in favor of the protest, all opposition parties are favoring their protest.

Source: The Express Tribune