KHAR: The Fata Students Forum Pakistan (FSFP) on Sunday expressed concern over delay in implementation of the proposed reforms in the tribal areas and announced to hold a grand jirga to push for early merger of the tribal region with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Speaking at a press conference here, the forum`s central chairman Rehan Zeb Khan said delay in implementing the reforms package was a matter of concern for the tribal students.

He said the tribal students had attached great expectations to the incumbent federal government that it would introduce result-oriented reforms in the current governance system, but it had failed.

`We expected that the PML-N-led federal government would replace the colonial governance system with the country`s regular laws in the tribal areas as abolishment of FCR had been the common demand of tribesmen since along, but unfortunately the government failed to take tangible steps in this regard,` he added.

Flanked by a number of students, Mr Zeb criticised the government for planning to introduce Rewaj Act and appoint chief operating officer in the tribalareas. He said Rewaj Act was nothing but another form of FCR. He was of the view that FCR was a major hurdle to socioeconomic development in the tribal region.

The students` leader mentioned that according to the constitution, the people of tribal areas were the citizens of the country, but the rulers had kept them deprived of development.

He said education facilities in the tribal areas were poor.

He was of the view that the people of tribal areas could not achieve goals of development and prosperity unless Fata was merged with KP.

Mr Zeb said the grand jirga was likely to be held in third week of September in Islamabad in which leaders of several political and religious parties and tribal elders would participate.

He said KP governor, chief minister, tribal lawmakers, senior journalists and Fata experts would be invited to the event.

He claimed that PTI chairman Imran Khan, JI chief Sirajul Haq, JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rahman, Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party chief Mehmood Khan Achakzai, ANP leader AsfandYar Wali Khan and QWP central president Aftab Ahmed Sherpao had already assured to participate in the jirga.