Democracy Institute arranges workshop on Southern FATA

PESHAWAR: Benazir Democracy Institute (BDI) of Shaheed Bhutto Foundation has arranged two days workshop on Southern Fata here at a local hotel on October 19-20, said a release of BDI of Shaheed Bhutto Foundation.
According to the release, Chief Minister NWFP Amir Haider Khan Hoti has very kindly consented to be the Chief Guest in the concluding plenary of the workshop on October 20, whereas Senator Mian Raza Rabani Leader of the Upper House, will be the Guest of honor in the inaugural plenary on October 19. Senator Abdur Rahim Mandokhel of Pukhtoon Khwa Millin Awami Party will deliver keynote address on the same day.
It said, keeping in view the rapidly deteriorating situation in Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and its trickling down affects over the settled areas of NWFP and the rest of the country, BDI believes that FATA needs immediate attention.
In fact, the socially, economically and legally inferior status of the people of FATA along with the dwindling writ of the government, the ever escalating extremism and the changed geopolitical realities have forced all the stakeholders to review their handling of FATA. There is dire need of planning the economic uplift and political and administrative overhaul of FATA. Responding to the need, BDI has organised a series of academic and intellectual dialogues on the affairs of FATA through regional and national workshops wherein all the stakeholders have been involved.
The overall theme of the dialogues is "Mainstreaming FATA" which has further sub-themes, i.e. Defining, Developing and Democratising FATA.
"We are hopeful that the outcome of the dialogues will provide valuable policy input to the decision makers at the national and international level", it added.
BDI has successfully organised two regional workshops on Northern FATA and Central FATA while the Southern FATA workshop is scheduled to be held in Pearl Continental Hotel Peshawar on October 19, 2008.
BDI is a non-political and independent entity, which works for strengthening democratic institutions of the country and to advance the cause of human rights through education, information, collaboration, coordination and communication.-APP