President ratifies bill extending SC, PHC jurisdiction to FATA

ISLAMABAD: President Mamnoon Hussain has signed the legislation bill extending the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court of Pakistan and Peshawar High Court (PHC) to the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata).

He signed the Supreme Court and Peshawar High Court extension of jurisdiction to FATA bill, 2018 on recommendation of the prime minister.

The bill after being passed by the National Assembly and Senate, was sent to the President for his approval. After the president’s approval, the bill has become a law.

On April 13, the Upper House of Parliament approved the bill, which was moved by Law Minister Mahmood Bashir Virk.

On Jan 12, the National Assembly had unanimously adopted the Bill after protests by the opposition parties over the government’s failure to introduce the bill on reforms in FATA and its merger with KP.

It merits mention here that extending the powers of superior courts to the tribal region is part of the government’s plan of mainstreaming of the tribal region.

The KP assembly adopted a resolution on December 14, 2016 in favour of merging FATA with KP with an intention to rehabilitate the internally displaced people (IDPs) and reconstruction of infrastructure including roads, communications, power lines, water supply, education and health facilities in the region.

Subsequently, the recommendations to bring the tribal areas at par with the rest of the country were approved by the federal cabinet on March 2 in past year.