Pakistan's president signs bill to merge country's tribal area along Afghan border with Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa

Islamabad: Pakistan president Mamnoon Hussain on Thursday signed a key constitutional amendment bill to merge the restive tribal regions along the Afghan border with the northwestern province of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, bringing an end to the 150-year-old British-era arrangement.

File image of Pakistan president Mamnoon Hussain. AFP

The bill was passed by the National Assembly, the Senate and KP Assembly before being sent to the president for formal approval.

After signing the bill, the president congratulated the people of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Geo TV reported.

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The bill amends several articles of the Constitution, including Article 1 that defines the territory of Pakistani federation. Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, who played a key role in bringing consensus to pass the amendment in the National Assembly, had said that it will "change 150-year-old system in the tribal areas."

These seven districts are home to some eight million residents, mainly ethnic Pashtuns.

Pakistan forces launched repeated military operations to clear the area of rebels and dismantle their hideouts which were used to launch attacks in the country and Afghanistan.