PESHAWAR: Awami National Party and Pakistan People’s Party, the major coalition partners in the previous government, which had introduced Federally Administered Tribal Area (Fata) reforms, find it hard to get a level-playing field for their candidates to contest general elections in North Waziristan and South Waziristan agencies due to hostile environment.
The two parties, which have to their credit the extension of the Political Parties’ Act 2002 to Fata, have not fielded candidate for NA-40 (North Waziristan). However, as for the two South Waziristan National Assembly constituencies, ANP has nominated its candidate for NA-41 and PPP for NA-42.
Sources said ANP candidate on NA-41 Ayaz Wazir had opened election office in Wana, South Waziristan’s administrative headquarters, but the party would get permission from the local peace committee for hoisting the party’s flag on the office.
The peace committee headed by pro-government Taliban commander Salahuddin Ayubi has become ‘de facto’ authority in the Ahmadzai Wazir tribe-dominated area of South Waziristan.
Ayubi has succeeded commander Maulvi Nazir, who was killed in a drone attack in January this year.
“ANP has requested the peace committee to allow it to hoist the party’s flag on the office, but the permission has not been granted so far,” said one source in Wana.
He said other political parties, including Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) were getting favourable treatment for running election campaign.
Niaz Wazir, ANP general secretary in Wana, said the peace committee was cooperating with the rival parties in running campaign.
He said the election offices would be opened in Shakai, Toi Khwla, Azam Warsak and Angoor Adda.
He said ANP candidate was running door-to-door campaign instead of organising corner meetings. Historically, ANP is considered the second largest party after JUI-F in Waziristan. JUI-F has allotted ticket to former MNA Maulana Abdul Malik and PML-N has fielded Ghalib Khan from NA-41.
Militancy and threats from proscribed Tihrek Taliban Pakistan (TTP) have worried both ANP and PPP and did not field candidates in North Waziristan Agency. Local residents said JUI-F, PTI, Jamaat-i-Islami, PML-N and PML-Q were openly running campaign in NA-40 (North Waziristan).
“Environment is very hostile for ANP and PPP, so both parties did not nominate candidates,” said a local leader of ANP.
He said supporters of ANP could not hoist the party’s flags on their homes fearing backlash from militants.
“Situation in Miramshah is better than that of Mirali, where outsiders are present,” he said, adding local Shura in Miramshah led by Taliban commander Hafiz Gul Bhadur was accommodative and supportive due to tribal customs and traditions, but threat perception was very high in Mirali.
JUI-F, which has strong vote bank in North Waziristan, has yet to finalise name of the candidate.
Sources said JUI-F was likely to support Maulvi Gul Ramzan, an active member of the peace committee, who was also acceptable to many stakeholders.
They said PTI was popular among youngsters in Miramshah and Mirali, but internal rifts were adversely affecting its position.
Sources said PTI had yet to decide its candidate and the party’s local chapter had been divided in several groups.
