Regular courts start functioning in erstwhile FATA

PESHAWAR: Regular courts on Monday started functioning in tribal districts of the erstwhile Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), Radio Pakistan reported.

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

The registrar relayed that the special training is being provided to judicial officers to make them conversant with the peculiar customs of tribal districts.

On February 25, the Peshawar High Court (PHC) had approved appointment of judges in tribal districts after merger with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).

Read more: KP govt approves setting up courts in erstwhile Fata

The PHC had issued notification for judges’ appointments in local courts of tribal districts, making a broader step for extending access of judiciary to the tribes’ people.

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.