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BAJAUR, Jan 20: A majority of former parliamentarians from Bajaur Agency have fallen prey to the recent decision of the federal cabinet fixing graduation as the minimum qualification for the candidates of National Assembly.
Haji Bismillah Khan, who won the National Assembly seat, NA-32, from Bajaur twice would be disqualified from contesting the election in future because of the new condition. Haji Bismillah also held office of parliamentary secretary for religious affairs during the last stint of PPP in power.
Likewise, Haji Lal Karim, who became MNA twice and also served as the chairman of Overseas Pakistanis’ standing committee during Nawaz Sharif government, also stands disqualified from contesting polls for not being a graduate.
Malik Abdul Qayyum Khan, a former senator, also has lost the opportunity to run for election for identical reasons.
Likewise, most tribal leaders, who contested the elections for NA and Senate in the past, would now be unable to do so in future.
DECISION CRITICIZED: Tribal chieftains, elders and former parliamentarians of the Bajaur Agency have criticized the federal government for fixing graduation as the minimum educational qualification for NA candidature.
Speaking at a press conference here on Sunday, Haji Lal Karim and Haji Bismillah Khan, former MNAs, Haji Abdul Qayyum Khan, former Senator, tribal leaders Mian Shah Jehan Khan, Malik Khaista Khan, Malik Alaf Mohammad, Malik Ali Khan, Malik Bashik and Malik Ayaz said the new condition was a conspiracy against the people of the country’s backward areas.
The tribal chieftains said that a protest movement would shortly be launched against this decision, adding the new requirement would disqualify a majority of the tribal leaders, prominent chieftains, former parliamentarians and elders from contesting election.
They observed that the decision would affect the backward and far-flung areas of the tribal belt.
Hardly 50,000 people in a population of around eight million in the Fata were educated, they said. They urged the government to exempt the tribesmen from this condition.
