ISLAMABAD: The Senate on Tuesday approved amendments to the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business, 2012, officially removing references to the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), following its constitutional merger with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).
The amendments were passed by majority vote.
Senator Irfan-ul-Haque Siddiqui, who tabled the amendments, clarified that the changes were procedural in nature. “The term FATA no longer exists on Pakistan’s map or in the Constitution after its merger with KP,” he explained.
Addressing concerns raised by Senator Dost Muhammad, Siddiqui emphasized that the changes were limited to Senate rules and had no bearing on constitutional amendments or seat allocations.
Tensions over development governance
Meanwhile, tensions continue over development governance in the merged districts. On January 26, the KP government urged the federal government to withdraw a newly formed steering committee tasked with managing the Accelerated Implementation Programme (AIP) for the region. The provincial government described the move as “ill-conceived political adventurism.”
The planning ministry had earlier formed a nine-member steering committee to oversee the allocation of 80% of AIP funds and recommend federal agency-led development projects. However, KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur voiced strong opposition in a letter to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, warning that the federal initiative undermined provincial autonomy and the 25th Constitutional Amendment.
He argued that the notification would “jeopardize development, create a law and order situation, and reverse progress on the KP-FATA merger.” He also highlighted potential disruptions to ongoing mega projects worth Rs42 billion.
Gandapur emphasized the role of a special provincial forum, headed by the Corps Commander of XI Corps, responsible for high-impact project identification and execution. He asserted that bypassing this forum threatened Rs349.5 billion worth of development initiatives already underway.
The federal government’s 20% allocation for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in merged districts also drew criticism, with Gandapur stressing that provinces should retain control over project approvals and implementation to avoid unrest in the region.
