PARACHINAR: An overwhelming number of tribal elders, former parliamentarians and representatives of civil society have supported the integration of Kurram Agency with the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Fata Reforms Committee headed by Adviser to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz visited Parachinar, the Kurram Agency`s administrative headquarters, on Monday to seek opinion of the people about mainstreaming the tribal area.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Iqbal Zafar Jhagra, Safron Minister Lt-Gen (r) Abdul Qadir Baloch, Federal Minister Zaid Hamid and National Security Advisor Let-Gen (r) Nasir Khan Janjua, who are members of the committee, were also present on the occasion.

The elders asked the committee to integrate Fata, particularly Kurram Agency, into KP. The main jirga hall where the committee`s members met the elders echoed with `Go FCR Go` slogans, a law prevailing in the region dating back to the colonial era.

Some of the participants suggested making Fata as a separate province. The elders said that time had come to abolish Frontier Crimes Regulation and introduce viable reforms in the area.

Sartaj Aziz assured elders that people of Fata had the right to decide about their future and the government had no plan to impose any system without the consent of the tribal people.

The committee also visited Orakzai Agency, said an official in Peshawar. The committee has already visited Bajaur, Mohmand and North Waziristan Agency for consultations. Correspondent