December 24, 2007	Monday	Zilhaj 13, 1428

PESHAWAR, Dec 23: Due to the poor law and order situation candidates in Malakand division, particularly in Swat, are facing numerous problems.

The situation in Swat, as compared to the rest of the division, is more serious where the candidates belonging to almost all the political parties are avoiding holding public meetings. They have only been holding small meetings and putting up banners, billboards and posters.

Buner, Malakand Agency, Chitral and both the lower and upper districts of Dir are comparatively less affected but even there canvassing has not reached the high pace observed in the past.

Swat is the worst-hit area where most of the hilly areas are still out of the authorities’ control. However, as a result of the extensive military operation the law-enforcers have re-established their writ in some areas of upper Swat, like Khwazakhela, Matta and Kabal tehsils, and are trying to weed out the militants.

The deteriorating law and order situation means that most of the candidates would keep their campaigns to the urban areas and would not opt to visit the rural parts of their constituencies.

Swat has two National Assembly seats — NA-29 and NA-30. Though most parts of the NA-29, Mingora City, Shamozi and Barikot are to some extent peaceful but other areas, like Manglawar, Ningwalai, Koza Bandai, Bara Bandai, Shah Derai, Dardyal, Dewlai, Manai, Langar and adjoining hilly parts of the constituency, are considered to be unstable.

Bara Bandai and Koza Bandai villages have a large population and the area is near Imam Dehri, the native village of Maulana Fazlullah. Though these villages are not so far from the district headquarters, Mingora, they need attention of the security agencies for maintaining law and order.

The NA-30 constituency also has many troubled areas like Matta, Behrain, Madyan, Khawazakhela, Gat Pew Chaar, and some villages where the political figures are feeling themselves insecure.

A local elder pleading his anonymity said that the trend of demolishing the houses of the militants in different areas had further aggravated the situation as they (militants) had started targeting the political personalities.

It was reported that vice president of the Pakistan People’s Party Swat, Mohammad Sher Khan was shot at by unidentified assailants in Shawar, who was rushed to a hospital. Again some unidentified persons blew up the house of a Pakistan Muslim League-Q leader Ghafoor Khan in Kabal which, the source said, is a reaction of the military action.

The villages like Shah Derai, Totano Bandai, Kala Kalay, Dewlai, Dardyal, Qala Gay, Shawar, Gat Pew Chaar and are surrounding areas are still out of control where the candidates have so far not dared to hold even corner meetings.

The Swat district has seven provincial assembly seats, but most parts of the PF-82, PF-83, PF-84 and PF-95 are consisting the most troubled areas. There constituencies fall in the above mentioned localities where the law enforcement agencies have failed to hold their sway.

The candidates are unable to announce the schedule of their programmes due to possible attacks and are trying to visit the houses of voters without any prior announcement.