BAJAUR, June 26: The elders of Bajaur Agency have asked the government to exempt the tribesmen from the graduation condition and allow under-graduates to contest national and provincial assemblies elections.

Speaking at a joint press conference here on Tuesday, Haji Bismillah Khan, Haji Lal Karim and Malik Shah Jehan criticised the government decision, stating that literacy rate in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) was very low as compared to the settled areas of the country. They asked the government to give special relaxation to the people of Fata and allow the under-graduates to contest the next elections. They warned that if the government did not withdraw its decision, the tribesmen would launch protest movement for their rights and also file a writ petition in the Peshawar High Court.

They said a representative Jirga comprising the elders and notables of the seven tribal agencies was likely to meet the NFWP governor to apprise him about the issue.