By:Agha Tanveer Iqbal

President Asif Ali Zardari approves changes in FCR.

President urged to make announcement anytime

London: A high level meeting presided over jointly by the President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani held in the Presidency today endorsed changes in the Frontier Crime Regulation as well as political reforms in the tribal areas and urged the President to make the announcement any time he deemed fit.

The meeting had been convened today specially to consider the report of the Cabinet Committee on the Frontier Crime Regulation proposing amendments in the 100 years old law applicable exclusively in the tribal areas.

The meeting attended by Mr. Hameedullah Jan Afridi, Minister for Environment, Senator A.Rehman Malik, Interior Minister, Mr. Najmuddin Khan, Minister for SAFRON , Mr. Noor ul Haq Qadri, Minister for Zakat and Usher, Governor Pukhtoonkhwah Owais Ghani , Mr. Afzal Sindhu , Minsiter of State Mr. Salman Faruqui, Secretary General , Mr. Abdul Razi , Minster of State for KANA, Senator Sardar Ali Khan, Spokesperson Farhatullah Babar and Mr. Munir Khan Orakzai, MNA, besides senior federal and provincial officials.

Spokesperson to the President former Senator Farhatullah Babar said that the meeting appreciated the work done by the Cabinet Committee set up by the Prime Minister last year to propose suitable changes in the regulation governing the federally administered tribal areas. In finalizing its report the Cabinet Committee had also considered previous reports that were drawn up in consultation with a cross section of tribal representatives, he said.

It was pointed out in the briefing that in three different workshops held last year under the auspices of Shaheed Bhutto Foundation hundreds of tribesmen from all walks of life representing all eight agencies had called for suitable changes in the FCR besides political reforms in tribal agencies. It was also pointed out that on November 29, 2004 the Senate had adopted a unanimous resolution seeking amendments in FCR. Subsequently in August 2005 the Senate also endorsed the report of its Human Right Committee on amendments in the FCR, Farhatullah Babar said.

The meeting in the Presidency today expressed the view the the FCR in its present form was an achronistic law that needed to be amended in the light of the wishes of the people of tribal areas to protect their basic rights while at the same time not to disturb local customs and traditions.

Earlier Arbab Shehzad, Additional Secretary gave presentation on the report of the Cabinet Committee on FCR set up by Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani in April last year.

Farhatullah Babar said that under the Constitution the President is empowered to make regulations for FATA . Article 247(5) of the Constitution lays down "Notwithstanding anything contained in the Constitution, the President may, with respect to any matter, make regulations for the peace and good government of a Federally Administered Tribal Area or any part therefore".

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Agha Tanveer Iqbal
Secretary Information
PPP Greater London
+44-07931445834