PESHAWAR, Oct 13: The security situation obtaining in some parts of the NWFP has put a damper on the forthcoming general elections, with many politicians being wary of canvassing door-to-door, according to leaders of various parties.

Some politicians go to the extent of saying that elections should not be held in the near future because of the changing patterns of violence in the province, particularly the tribal areas. A “culture of warlordism” is taking root in society, they say.

“Holding elections is not too difficult. But our main concern is voters’ participation in the election campaign in areas where militancy is spreading,” remarked Israrullah Gandapur, a former MPA from the volatile Tank district.

He said it was unsafe for political parties and candidates to hold public meetings, in view of the possibility of suicide bombings. “Elections were held in neighbouring Afghanistan and also in war-torn Iraq.

“Holding elections is not an issue here too. But our concern is whether the people will participate in electioneering with enthusiasm or not. Voters generally visit polling stations to cast their votes only when the environment is peaceful,” he observed.

Insecurity has blurred the chance of public participation in the elections. Politicians believe that extremists want people to stay away from a democratic process. They say that the level of violence might grow in Tank, Dera Ismail Khan, Bannu and other southern parts of the province where local Taliban or militants are gaining power.

During the last one and a half years, the security situation has deteriorated. Since 2006 to date, 22 suicide bombers have blown themselves up and killed 280 innocent people in the NWFP only.

This year alone 18 suicide bombers killed some 200 people, including policemen. The casualty figure does not include those who perished in other kinds of bombings in the province.

Provincial chief of the Awami National Party (ANP) Afrasyab Khattak said that the state was loosing its writ in the province and the phenomenon of suicide attacks might increase in the future when election activities come to an end.

He said leaders of political parties had been avoiding public meetings as they have developed a fear of suicide bombing in their minds.

For instance, he said, Maulana Fazlur Rehman had not addressed any public meeting during the last six months in his constituency or any other part of the province.

“I do not believe elections will be held in the NWFP,” he opined.

He said that militants became very powerful in Swat, Dir, Tank, Bannu, Karak and other districts of the province and law-enforcement agencies did not challenge their writ.

He asked: “Even police had vacated police stations in Swat and how would they ensure the security of voters?”

He said that the international community and observers, including the Common Wealth and European Union, had focused only on Punjab province which was the power base and they had little concern for the NWFP and other small provinces.

“The culture of warlordism is emerging in many areas of the province and these warlords will decide about the eligibility of party candidates, not political parties,” Mr Khattak said, adding that such elements would not allow people to cast their vote in a free environment.

The NWFP and tribal areas already have a chequered history regarding women casting votes. In different parts of the province political parties and clerics had barred female voters from casting vote in general and local bodies’ elections.

Pakistan Peoples Party leader and District Nazim Lower Dir Ahmad Hassan said that extremist elements opposed democracy and they had already declared it a system of “infidelity”.

These elements, he said, neither cast votes nor allow other people to take part in the election process. He wondered where democracy was being dubbed as a satanic system, how could one work for democratic norms.

In his opinion the major phenomenon was that the clout of genuine political forces had shrunken.