KHYBER AGENCY -  Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Sami chief Maulana Samiul Haq on Friday said the merger of Fata with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was the only option to remove sense of deprivation among the residents of the tribal belt.

Samiul Haq said for the past 70 years, the tribal people were kept deprived of their fundamental rights and even subjugated in their own county.

He expressed these views while addressing a FATA reforms gathering held at Hospital Square in Landi Kotal on Friday. A large number of party workers, ex-parliamentarians, tribal, political volunteers and general public participated in the moot.

Maulana Sami said that like citizens in other parts of the country tribesmen should be granted the basic rights so they could serve their lives with respect. For the last 70 years, tribal people had been enslaved and negated all their fundamental rights, adding JUI-S would join hands with the tribesmen to get their rights.

“Merging of the tribal-belt in KP is not only as per the wishes of tribal people but also a guarantee of their liberties and easing of their hardships,” the Maulana remarked.

While demanding imposition of Shariah in the country, he said that Islam divine law ensures rights of every single citizen of the country and they have been striving for its implementation for the last 30 years.

The JUI-S chief maintained that presence of American forces in Afghanistan caused restlessness in Pakistan and tribesmen suffered a lot due to the ongoing war in Afghanistan.

He stressed for the restoration of cordial relations between the two neighbouring countries. He disapproved every possible act that defames the tribesmen and said his party would stand with them to acquire their all legal rights.

Member National Assembly from NA-45 Shahji Gul Afridi said that in the near future, FATA would get freedom from the draconian Frontier Crime Regulation (FCR) and would be merged in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.

He urged upon the locals to vote those candidates who were real representatives of the tribal and avoid selfish candidates.

He added that friendly relation with Afghanistan was in the best interest of Pakistan and the peace in the country intact with calmness in Afghanistan. Afridi criticized some elements uttering poisonous words against foreign channels for broadcasting Pashto service and said it educated the tribesmen for voicing their basic rights.

The JUI-S provincial Ameer Maulana Yusaf Shah, Maulana Atiq, Maulana Wadanullah and others also spoke on the occasion.