Upper house approves KP-Fata merger by 71-5 votes

The Senate approved on Friday the constitutional amendment bill on the merger of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Federally Administered Tribal Areas.

During voting, 71 Upper House members voted in favor while five Senators from the Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) opposed it. The bill needed a total of 69 votes to pass. PkMAP Senators also staged a walkout.


After getting approval from both houses of the Parliament, the bill will now be presented before the K-P assembly.

The bill had already been passed by the lower house a day earlier after receiving support from both the treasury and opposition benches. 

Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan, who rarely attends NA sessions, also participated in the historic vote which was opposed by government allies Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) and Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) who chose to walk out.

The amendment will bring an end to colonial-era laws governing the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), extending the writ of Pakistani courts to its districts and increasing development assistance to its residents.

Moreover, the KP assembly has summoned a session at 2pm on Sunday to mull over merger strategy. However, JUI-F has announced to surround the provincial assembly to protest the passage of the bill. 

The leader of the Opposition Sherry Rehman described the constitution amendment on FATA’s merger as a historic step in the country’s history. 

Rising on a point of order in the Senate, she voiced concern over construction of Kishanganga dam by India in occupied Kashmir.

She said India is building controversial dams in the disputed territory in violation of Indus Water Treaty. She said the World Bank should play its role on the matter.

Mian Raza Rabbani of Pakistan Peoples Party said India is engaged in incessant unprovoked firing on the Line of Control and the Working Boundary, which are resulting in the martyrdom of both civilians and security personnel. He said India has also unleashed a wave of terror in occupied Kashmir.

Minister for Climate Change Mushahidullah said the amendment recognizes the tribal people as equal citizens of Pakistan.

Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Sheikh Aftab Ahmad said it is heartening to note that the political parties are demonstrating greater maturity and over the last five years they addressed the national issues with consensus and unity.

Chaudhary Sarwar said the merger is a step in the right direction that will further strengthen Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Pakistan.

Kabeer Shahi appreciated the magnanimity shown by the treasury and opposition benches for the passage of the historic FATA-KPK merger constitution amendment bill.

Ateeq Sheikh said the merger has been done after consultations with the tribal people but stressed that the promises made with them are also materialized.  He said the efforts put in by the armed forces for restoring peace in tribal areas and their reconstruction should also be acknowledged.

Mushtaq Ahmad described the passage of amendment the triumph of parliament and democracy. He said it is a historic day for the tribal people as the constitutional amendment has done away with the black law of FCR and the political agents.

Others who welcomed and appreciated the initiative included Behramand Tangi, Muhammad Akram, Mirza Khan Afridi, Sajjad Toori, Mohsin Aziz, Anwarul Haq Kakar, Rehman Malik, Faisal Javed, Rana Maqbool, Rukhsana Zuberi, They said that natural resources of tribal areas should be exploited and such development activities carried out there which bring visible change in the lives of the local people.