Polls in tribal districts: Political parties question decision to deploy armed forces

PESHAWAR: The nationalist political parties here on Saturday questioned the decision to conduct the upcoming elections for the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly in the tribal districts under the supervision of the army.In a statement, Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) head Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao expressed astonishment over the decision to deploy soldiers during the election in tribal districts.“It seems the writ of the civil administration is very weak in the tribal districts,” the QWP leader told a party meeting here.The Election Commission of Pakistan on Friday ordered deployment of armed forces inside and outside polling stations during the upcoming elections in tribal districts.The decision showed the civil administration did not have the ability to conduct the polls, the QWP chief said and demanded the government to withdraw the decision.Aftab Sherpao said the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government had added to the woes of the people due to its poor economic policies.He criticised the PTI government for its flawed economic policies and said the IMF-dictated budget would trigger a fresh wave of inflation and compound the miseries of the people.The QWP leader urged the federal government to release the arrears of the net hydel profit to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as it was the constitutional right of the province.Aftab Sherpao also condemned the curbs on the media houses and said the restrictions were meant to muzzle the press and stifle dissenting voices.He also announced at the meeting that his party would soon launch a mass contact movement to mobilise the people and register protest against the price-hike and ill-conceived policies of the government.He said the QWP would also attend the all parties conference convened by the opposition to iron out a strategy on how to tackle the issues facing the country.Aftab Sherpao said that the report of the Auditor General of Pakistan about irregularities in the Bus Rapid Transit project should serve as an eye-opener for the National Accountability Bureau.Meanwhile, Awami National Party provincial head Aimal Wali Khan also accused the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) of being partial in conducting the polls in the erstwhile Fata.Expressing his reservations, he said the ECP should explain why the deployment of the army troops was necessary for holding the polls in the merged districts.He said his party had written to the ECP against the move, but its apprehensions were ignored.The ANP leader said the provincial government was busy distributing funds in tribal districts in violation of the election code of conduct. “A free and fair election in tribal districts is a must to put the areas on road to progress,” he added.Aimal Wali said the ANP considered deployment of security personnel inside the polling stations as interference in the electoral process.The ANP leader said that army’s role should be restricted to maintain law and order.Aimal Wali said if the law and order was not good then the army should perform duty outside the polling stations. He said that involving the institution in the election process was an unwise decision.He said all major political parties had reservations about the fairness of the last general election. He said his party had expressed its reservations by writing a letter to the commission.Aimal Wali asked the ECP to reconsider its decision to avoid criticism regarding its partiality. He said the ECP’s handing over the entire process to army spoke volumes about its incompetency.

from The News International - Peshawar http://bit.ly/31NzjUn