PESHAWAR: Pakistan Peoples Party, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, is indecisive about arranging visits of party chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari to different tribal districts as part of the election campaign, mainly due to security issues, a source said.

A meeting of the party’s provincial cabinet was held at the residence of provincial president Mohammad Humayun Khan here on Saturday where the office-bearers from different tribal districts also participated and briefed the meeting about the election campaign for the July 20 election. However, the participants could not take a firm decision to arrange Bilawal’s visits to various districts as they cited different reasons and stressed the need to ensure his security first.

An insider told Dawn that majority of the participants were of the view that the top leadership should not take the risk to address public rallies in tribal districts amid security threats. He said that the party had already suffered due to terrorism and they were not ready to take any new risk by inviting Bilawal to tribal districts, especially Khyber.

Humayun urges ECP to provide level playing field to candidates

The meeting criticised the administration of South Waziristan district for registering a case against the PPP candidate and other activists and described such tactics as ‘pre-poll rigging’. The participants condemned the arrest of party activists and blamed the government for victimisation of its political opponents. They urged the Election Commission of Pakistan to ensure provision of proper security and a level playing field to the candidates.

According to a statement, Humayun Khan said that Bilawal would visit different areas and address public rallies as part of the election campaign. He said that provision of security and holding fair and free election was the duty of ECP.

“We will not let the government repeat the July 25, 2018 practice to announce one-sided results,” Humayun said and warned that in case of rigging the political situation in the country would take a dangerous turn.

Other party leaders, including Rahim Dad Khan, Faisal Karim Kundi, Ms Nighat Orakzai, Arbab Alamgir, Azam Afridi, Liaquat Shabab, Akhunzada Chattan, Shah Zulqarnain and Senator Bahramand Tangi also shared views. The participants called for running a vigorous campaign to ensure success of the party candidates.

Misbahuddin, general secretary of Peshawar district, told Dawn that Bilawal was scheduled to address a public meeting at Ekkaghund in Mohmand district on July 5, but the administration did not give permission for the purpose.

Another public meeting, he said, had been scheduled on July 3 at Kurram district and at Badraga (Malakand district) on July 7, but it was not yet clear if the administration would allow him or not.

“We have formed reception committees for different districts to make preparations and wanted our chairman to come, but security issues may create problems,” he said.

Published in Dawn, June 30th, 2019