PM Khan to visit Bajaur Agency tomorrow

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan will visit Bajaur Agency tomorrow (Friday) to get briefing on the FATA reforms, ARY News reported on Thursday.

In his maiden visit after the merger of the tribal districts into Khyber Pakhtunkhuwa (KP), the prime minister will also address a public gathering in the area.

PM Khan will be accompanied by Governor KP Shah Farman, Chief Minister Mehmood Khan Special Assistant Iftikhar Durrani and the federal and provincial ministers.

He will inaugurate the newly constructed Cadet college at Ghalanai, the headquarters of Mohmand district.

Read more: First plea filed in tribal court as judicial system becomes functional in erstwhile FATA

The premier is also expected to announce a number of development projects for both the districts.

Earlier on March 4, Regular courts had started functioning in tribal districts of the erstwhile Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA).

According to Registrar Peshawar High Court Khawaja Wajihud Din, twenty-eight judicial officers and eighteen prosecutors have been posted in the tribal districts.

FATA amendment bill

Earlier, a constitutional amendment [The Constitution (Thirty-First Amendment) Bill 2018] for the merger of Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province was passed in the National Assembly on May 24 – 2018.

Later, the Upper House [Senate] approved the constitutional amendment bill with majority for the merger of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa a day after its approval from the Lower House [National Assembly].

The amendment reduces the number of seats in the National Assembly from 342 to 336. The members of the National Assembly from Fata to be elected in the 2018 election shall continue till dissolution of the Lower House. Elections on these provincial legislature seats shall be held within one year after the general elections 2018.