Assembly demands repeal of action in aid of civil power ordinance 2011 for FATA/PATA

Community Appraisal and Motivation Programme:Communities for Change Project

Second Periodical Networking meeting and FATA CSOs Assembly.

Assembly demands repeal of action in aid of civil power ordinance 2011 for FATA/PATA

Islamabad, November 24, 2011: Worsening law and order situation in FATA and a betterment of the Judicial system in the region remained the focus of the Second Periodical Networking Meeting And FATA CSOs Assembly in Islamabad. The function was organized by the Community Appraisal and Motivation Programme (CAMP) under the Communities for Change project funded, jointly, by the British High Commission and German Embassy.

The Action in Aid of Civil Power Ordinance 2011 in FATA was unanimously identified as anti-Human by the assembly and it was recognized that the few civil and human rights available to the residents of the region have also been taken away from them due to this ordinance. The assembly demanded an immediate repeal of the ordinance.

The Assembly also demanded an immediate extension of the Social Welfare Act to FATA. The delegates criticized the recent amendments to the Frontier Crimes Regulations as being insufficient to address the concerns of the people. They demanded further amendments up to and including the eventual repeal of the FCR altogether.

It was also discussed that efforts must be made to knit together all these separate organizations into a working and cohesive coalition for effectively safeguarding the interests and Rights of FATA residents.

Six Resource persons were also brought in from NRSP, SAFMA, SPO, SAPPK and a Journalist to instruct the assembly on effective use of available techniques and materials so that their efforts in FATA can see fruition.

The delegates said that the region was lagging behind the rest of the country due to insufficient development expenditures as well as the effects of the War on Terror. They said that the government needs to increase spending in the region so that it can be brought at par with other provinces and areas of Pakistan.

Names of Participants:

Said Afzal: Project Coordinator – CAMP

Ms. Narjis Khatoon

Shehryar Khan

Umer Saleem

Anwar Khan

Wajid Mohmand