PESHAWAR, March 2: Reiterating demand for an independent election commission, the Awami National Party (ANP) has expressed dismay over the recently-introduced electoral reforms, particularly the new scheme of distribution of seats among the four provinces and the introduction of technocrats’ seats in the National Assembly.

This distribution of the seats would cause imbalance among provinces as the new scheme would establish the majority of a single province doing away with the smaller provinces’ majority in the Parliament, ANP chief Asfandyar Wali Khan said here on Saturday at a news conference. “ It is not in the interest of the country”, he added.

His mother and ANP (NWFP) President Begum Nasim Wali Khan, and other party leaders including Aaqil Shah, Haji Adeel, Bashir Bilour, Farid Toofan were also present on the occasion.

Asfandyar opposed the allocation of seats to technocrats in the National Assembly as part of the electoral reforms.

“ There is no justification for specifying seats for technocrats in a directly-elected house, and specially at a time when there are already seats reserved for technocrats in the Senate,”  he said adding,” every body should come through elections”.

About the condition of getting at least 10 per cent votes for every political party, the ANP chief said the move would benefit the political parties with roots in big provinces, but would prove harmful for the smaller provinces’ political forces.