ISLAMABAD: The Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (Fazl) leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman conditionally agreed to support the proposal of Federal Administrative Tribal Areas (FATA)'s merger with the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, sources informed Geo News on Tuesday.

Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Federal Minister Abdul Qadir Baloch and National Security Adviser Lt Gen (retd) Nasir Janjua in a meeting held lately with Maulana Fazl persuaded him to support the merger.

Maulana Fazl was told that in the recent National Security Committee, all the participants collectively gave their support for the merger. Sources disclosed that Maulana Fazl gave his conditional support for the merger, he has put forward the condition of infrastructural development and institutional reforms.

The issue of the merger of the FATA with KP is one of the pending matters for the incumbent government and has dominated the political discourse of the country in recent weeks.

The KP Assembly had adopted a resolution on December 14, 2016 in favour of merging FATA with KP that would help rehabilitate and reconstruct the infrastructure including roads, communications, power lines, water supply, education and health facilities.

COAS on FATA

Chief of Army Staff General (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa assured delegations from the FATA that the Pakistan Army fully supports mainstreaming of the region in line with aspirations of tribal brothers, said a statement released by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).

The COAS also lauded tribal elders and youth for their determination and support to the Pakistan Army in the fight against terrorism, the military?s media wing added.

General Bajwa said he valued the views of the tribal delegations regarding the future of FATA. He said that achievements through sacrifices of brave residents of FATA are being consolidated while the country transitions from relative stability to enduring peace.