THIS refers to underdeveloped areas of southern Punjab such as Dera Ghazi Khan. The tragedy is that not many people except those living there talk about it.

Now that census has been held at the cost of more than Rs30 billion, its benefits must seep down to backward districts like Dera Ghazi Khan.

For example, the existing constituency limits of NA-171 in the district exist in such a way that some sections of its population are unable to interact. The Taunsa tehsil is part of this constituency but its surrounding populations form part of another constituency.

During the last delimitation process, this arrangement was made with a malicious intent to support a favourite candidate. Since the delimitation of the constituencies is likely to take place before the 2018 elections, the constituency limits should be redefined, making them contiguous.

The people of backward areas feel as if they are left to live in subhuman conditions.

Javed Nutkani
Dera Ghazi Khan

Published in Dawn, October 22nd, 2017