PARACHINAR: The residents of Kurram tribal district are going to cast vote for the first time in the elections for two seats of provincial assembly in the area but their demands from the candidates are still provision of basic facilities including health, education and clean drinking water.

Rehabilitation of basic facilities like education, health and water in the militancy-affected tribal district has taken centre-stage in the upcoming elections in the tribal district where 55 candidates including a woman are in the run.

The merger of erstwhile of Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has changed social and political discourse of the area.

Candidates for two PA seats also display banners, promising resolution of main issues

Over five million people of the merged districts will get representation in the provincial legislature through the July 20 elections.

Like people of other merged districts, voters in Kurram also want their basic issues resolved.

They are demanding of the candidates, who come knocking at their door, to provide quality education to their children, improve health delivery system, provide better road network and rehabilitate hundreds of conflict-hit families if they are voted to the provincial assembly as their representative.

The candidates have also displayed banners, promising resolution of social issues in the area.

“Our main problems are payment of compensation for the damaged houses, reconstruction of drinking water schemes, schools and health facilities,” said Liaqat Khan, a resident of central Kurram that was rattled by militancy.

He said that women were dying of delivery because there was no specialised maternity care facility in the area and local doctors referred normal cases to Peshawar and Islamabad.

For Tanveer Hussain, an MPhil student, shortage of health, education and drinking water facilities is the biggest concern.

“More than 60 posts of doctors are vacant in district headquarters hospital. People are demanding basic facilities of life,” he said, adding that shortage of drinking water was the major issue for the residents of Parachinar.

Iqbal Hussain, a resident of Sadda, said that social issues were taking centre-stage in the election campaign. He said that rehabilitation and reconstruction were major issues in central part of Kurram where militancy and military operations caused widespread destruction.

For the two seats of provincial assembly in Kurram, 55 candidates of major political parties and independents are contesting polls. Of them, 31 are in the run for PK-108 and 24 candidates for PK-109.

Interesting aspect of the electoral process in Kurram is that Jamaat-i-Islami has allotted ticket to a woman candidate, Ms Malasa, for PK-109. Her husband Hekmat Khan Hekmatyar was district chief of Jamaat. Earlier, former bureaucrat Ali Begum had contested election from NA-46 constituency in July 2018.

PTI, JI, PPP, JUI-F, ANP and JUI-S have nominated candidates for both the seats.

Intra-sectarian and political divides remained dominating factors in the previous elections and will play crucial role in the coming polls too. Political loyalty is stronger in PK-108, which comprises parts of lower and central tehsils.

Tough contest is expected between JUI-F and PTI in PK-108. The position of JUI-F is strong in PK-108 because of MNA Munir Orakzai, who became member of the lower house for third time. Elections in NA-45 were not held in 2013 due to security reasons.

JUI-F has allotted ticket to Mohammad Riaz to contest against Shahid Khan Bangash of PTI, Arif Hussain of PPP, Mohammad Karim Akhtar of JUI-S and others. Internal rift can divide votes of JUI-F, because its local leader Maulana Mohammad Yaqoob Farooqi is contesting polls as an independent candidate.

For many observers, independent candidate Salim Khan, suffering from visual disability, may upset his rivals. Previously he had affiliation with JI. His father late Malik Salih Khan was elected MNA in 1970 elections.

Scenario in PK-109 is different. Like previous polls, voters may divide on intra-sectarian lines (Syed and non-Syed). Main contestants are retired Col Javedullah of PPP, who is first cousin of MNA Sajid Hussain Turi, Syed Iqbal Mian of PTI, Ibrar Jan an independent young chap, and Inayat Hussain, another independent.

Iqbal Mian who belongs to influential Syed family was runner up in previous general elections. He was defeated by Sajid Turi in NA-46.

Published in Dawn, July 8th, 2019