ISLAMABAD, March 26: Under the delimitation of Constituencies one more National Assembly (NA) seat has been added to the federal capital, while Rawalpindi NA seats have been enhanced from five to seven and provincial assembly (PA) seats from 11 to 14.

Notifying preliminary delimitation of constituencies the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Justice (Rtd) Irshad Hasan Khan told a news conference on Tuesday.

The constituency NA-48, Islamabad-1 comprises urban areas of the capital, while NA-49, Islamabad-II comprises sectors E-7, F- 5, 6, 7, G-5, 6, 7 and Islamabad Tehsil (rural area).

Earlier, Islamabad had one seat in the National Assembly, NA-35. In pursuance of electoral reforms under General Elections Order, 2002, the city has been given two seats in the lower house.

It may be added here that share of seats both in national and provincial assemblies has been worked out on the basis of 1998 population census.

Under the Order 2002, the formula for delimitation of constituencies is based on “total population of the country divided by total number of seats both in National and provincial assemblies”.

The total population of Islamabad city, according to 1998 census is 8,05,235, which has been divided equally into 4,02,618 for each constituency for the two NA seats.

A former member of the National Assembly from the Islamabad seat Haji Nawaz Khokhar, said as far as the delimitation of the federal capital was concerned, he had no objections over it, but it would affect urban representation. He said two- third population of Islamabad city belonged to the rural areas which had not been effectively segregated in de- limitation process, therefore, in both constituencies it would overwhelm urban population.

He said most of the I-sectors and surrounding villages, which had been bracketed in urban area consisted of rural population, therefore, in both the constituencies rural population would decide the election result.

Syed Zafar Ali Shah of the PML (N), who won the Islamabad seat in the last general election, said it was too early to make a comment about delimitation of the federal area constituencies, however, they were looking into it whether it had been done as per stipulated procedures under General Elections Orders, 2002 or not. “If not, we will register our queries with the EC as permitted in the new electoral reforms”, he added.

Under the Order, politicians may record their objections on the delimitation of their local constituencies with the secretary, EC within 15 days (i.e. till April 10, 2002).

PPI ADDS: District Rawalpindi has been given seven seats (NA-50 to 56) in the National Assembly and 14 (PP-1 to 14) in the Punjab provincial assembly. Previously there were only five NA (NA-36 to 40) and 11 PA (PP-1 to 11) seats for this district.