Fata MNAs not to vote for NRO, come what may

Thursday, October 29, 2009

ISLAMABAD: Legislators from the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) have come up with a clear stand not to support the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) at any cost.

“We will never support the government on the notorious piece of legislation even if our all demands are accepted,” Fata parliamentarians’ group leader told The News in categorical terms.

Munir Khan Orakzai, the group leader, repeated his quotes more than thrice while assuring that their demands had no relevance with the “shameful” legislation. “We would oppose the NRO when the Standing Committee on Law and Justice sends it back to the National Assembly.”

At least, three other Fata lawmakers seconded Orakzai’s announcement on the NRO and said a decision would also be finalised for a formal announcement before the forthcoming NA session.

Orakzai, the Fata MNAs’ parliamentary group leader, said his group would oppose the NRO rather than adopting a policy of abstaining from the voting. “The NRO is specific for the elite class and it amounts to usurping poor’s rights.”

The tribal belt has a fixed quota of 12 MNAs and eight senators who can put the government in deep trouble on the NRO if all anti-NRO forces vote against it while ensuring their full presence.

Two federal ministers, Noorul Haq Qadri and Hameedullah Jan Afridi, a state minister, Abdul Raziq, six parliamentary secretaries and one chairman of a standing committee have already resigned from their positions over non-acceptance of their demands.

“We, through the media people, ask Prime Minister Gilani and President Zardari to accept these resignations with immediate effect as these were sent a few days back.”Fata Federal Minister Noorul Haq Qadri endorsed Munir Orakzai’s statement but said the government had accepted many demands, including release of development funds. “But our major demand of replacing the NWFP governor still remains.”

A parliamentary secretary from Fata, MNA Shaukat Ullah Khan said not only the government was skirting the demand to change the governor it had to also accept issuance of the amounts for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) from tribal areas at par with the Swat IDPs.

“The government has allocated just Rs 15 billion out of total Rs 85 billion approved for the IDPs,” he said, adding, “Orakzai Sahab is fully authorised to take vital decisions such as on NRO and definitely his announcement is binding for us.”

All Fata members, whom this corresponded contacted, said the government had yet to contact them seeking support on the NRO that needs a simple majority approval from the NA and Senate.

Orakzai’s group from the Fata enjoys the backing of nine MNAs and four senators as the rest of the members are either from the JUI-F or joined the PPP ranks or have tilt towards the government.

With the JUI-F and the ANP’s plan to abstain, the PML-N, PML-Q and these Fata members’ opposition may thwart the move of getting the NRO passed from the National Assembly.

Malik Bilal Rehman, Sajid Hussain Turi, Munir Khan Orakzai, Jawad Hussain, Kamran Khan, Abdul Maalik Wazir, Shaukat Ullah, Syed Akhonzada Chitan, Noor-ul-Haq Qadri, Hameed Ullah Jan Afridi and Zafar Beg Bhittani are 11 the Fata MNAs as one seat is vacant.

Of the 11, nine are supporting the Orakzai group. They are Malik Bilal, Sajid Hussain (Chairman Standing Committee), Munir Orakzai (Parliamentary leader), Jawad Hussain, Kamran Khan, Shaukat Ullah, Noorul Haq Qadri (minister), Hameedullah Jan (minister) and Zafar Beg Bhittani.

Akhunzada Chitan and Malik Wazir have formally joined the PPP and the JUI-F, respectively. In the Senate, the Fata quota stands at eight. Abdul Raziq, Eng Malik Rashid Ahmed, Hafiz Rasheed Ahmed and Haji Khan Afridi are staunchly backing the Orakzai group. Other two, Abdur Rashid and Maulana Saleh Qureshi are the JUI-F senators whereas Idrees Safi and Abbas Afridi have leanings towards the government.