LANDI KOTAL, Nov 19: A clear division emerged among the MNAs elected from Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) when seven of them voted in favour of Muttahidda Majlis-i-Amal candidate for National Assembly speaker, while the rest sided with PML-Q.

Although elected independent, the seven tribal MNAs enjoyed clear support of MMA during the Oct 10 general elections. They were even allotted MMA election symbol by the Election Commission.

There are speculations that the other five MNAs had succumbed to the government pressure when they held a meeting with Mir Zafarullah Jamali, PML-Q candidate for prime minister’s slot, in Islamabad a week ago.

The Fata MNAs held a number of meetings during the last couple of weeks, but they failed to evolve a joint strategy.

The group of self-proclaimed independents, before their meeting with Jamali, was strongly advocating a joint front as was customary with Fata MNAs in past.

Tribal MNAs had always voted for the majority party candidate and never sat in the opposition. But this time round, the pro-MMA MNAs, mostly religious clerics, made history when they voted against the wishes of the establishment.

Maulana Khalilur Rehman, a pro-MMA parliamentarian from Khyber Agency, told Dawn in categorical terms that they would never act against MMA manifesto as it was on the basis of this very manifesto that they had reached the National Assembly.

“Despite being pro-MMA, we are still independent members of the National Assembly and would retain this status,” he said, adding that as far as voting was concerned, they would not bow to anybody’s pressure.

Maulana Abdul Malik of North Waziristan, while talking to Dawn on phone from Islamabad before the Speaker’s election, dispelled the impression that there was any division among Fata MNAs.

He hoped that the “Group of Five” would exercise their right to vote according to their conscience and in the greater interest of the tribal population.

As regards rights of the Fata people, the Maulana from Waziristan said that all the 12 Fata MNAs were united and would strive hard for the improvement of living standards in tribal areas.

But a member of the five independent MNAs, Dr Ghazi Gulab (GG) Jamal from Orakzai was critical of the dissenting views expressed by the pro-MMA MNAs. He was of the opinion that tribal MNAs should have waited till the election of Prime Minister.

He stressed that tribal MNAs could not afford to sit in the opposition. “We are governed by the centre and we cannot go against a government in the centre,” he emphasised.

Brushing aside Dr GG’s apprehensions, Maulana Khalilur Rehman said they would forcefully fight for the cause of tribals if they were to sit in the opposition.

“Opposing the government is not a new phenomena and opposition parties had in the past played an effective role in previous assemblies.”

The young Maulana from Bara said that they had the backing of their electorates and would struggle hard for their rights.