Address at a public meeting in Saidu Sharif on November 17, 1972

President Zulfikar Ali Bhutto announced sweeping changes in the political, judicial and administrative set-ups of the former states of Swat, Dir and Chitral, and abolished the Frontier Crimes Regulations, Jirga system and ‘Riwaj’ in one stroke.

He told a cheering, slogan-raising public meeting, the first of his 11-day mass-contract tour of the N.W.F.P, that all labor laws and reforms had also been extended to the Malakand Division with immediate effect.

He said that all prisoners detained under the FCR will be released, and asked the N.W.F.P. Governor to act accordingly.

With the abolition of the FCR, the jurisdiction of the Supreme and the High Courts had also been extended to the Malakand Division, fulfilling a long-standing demand of the people, he said.

The President said that these decisions were a part of his party’s pledges, and he had fulfilled many of them during the short 10 months his party has been in power. “All other promises made by us will also be fulfilled in due course of time,” he said.

About the judicial set-up in the Division following the repeal of the FCR, the President said that the setting up of regular courts and institutions would take some time, but the Government would try to regularize things as soon as possible.

He said that his Government was determined to completely change the existing social and political order in the country, and had already taken steps to effect improvements in the political field. Democracy has been restored, and efforts were being made to change the economic system.

The President, however, said that the country was under a heavy burden of foreign loans, and unless the country’s potentials and resources were fully exploited and utilized, no amount of foreign aid could help.

He referred to the last 25 years during which Pakistan received a huge amount of loans from outside, but no worthwhile development had taken place. “Where is the happiness and prosperity which these loans could bring?” he asked.

The President told the Swat people that all the students arrested in last month’s disturbances had already been released, but the remaining three had also been granted bails.

The President said he would not say anything wrong, which could be an interference in the provincial affairs, because “I don’t want interference.”

The President referred to the educational reforms, and said with the availability of more resources, the number of universities in the country would be increased, and this would include a university at Saidu Sharif and another at Dera Ismail Khan.

The President asked the people to maintain law and order, and remarked that the repeal of the FCR should not give them an impression that there was no Government.