Ex-FATA tribal elders reject ‘elections before census’

ISLAMABAD: Tribal elders of former federally-administered tribal areas (FATA) have rejected the holding of general elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) before the completion of fresh census and delimitation of constituencies, ARY News reported on Monday.

According to details, the tribal leaders staged a protest outside National Press Club in Islamabad against the holding of general elections in (KP) before completion of fresh census and delimitation of constituencies.

The tribal leaders included Mufti Muhammad Ijaz Shinwari, Haji Ahmed Saeed, Qari Jahad Shah Afridi, Maulana Abdul Malik Wazir Sultan, Pir Aqil Shah, Malik Ainuddin Shakir, and Malik Farhad Ali.

Later, the former FATA elders met called on Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Mufti Abdul Shakoor and expressed their reservations.

During the meeting, Abdul Shakoor assured the tribal elders that he would present their case of legitimate rights before the judiciary, election commission, prime minister and army chief.

“I am from a tribal area and I will make all possible efforts to remove deprivations of erstwhile Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) people,” he added.

Meanwhile, tribal elders made it clear that they would not contest elections until a proper census to be held in their areas. They urged the government to restore the tribal constituencies and constitute new ones before the elections.

They complained that as a result of the merger, the FATA’s seats in Senate were abrogated while half of the seats were reduced in the National Assembly.

They said the tribal people had rendered huge sacrifices in the war against terror, therefore, they should be provided maximum relief in every sphere of life.