LANDI KOTAL: Speakers at a conference at Jamrud Press Club on Monday asked the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to make all possible arrangements for holding free, fair and impartial elections for provincial assembly seats in tribal districts.

Speaking on the occasion, JUI-F leader Ghufranullah Khaiberi said that ECP should provide a level playing field to all the contesting candidates to enable the voters to elect candidates of their choice. He asked the ECP to take notice of the violation of the code of conduct in the area where candidates were spending millions of rupees on their poll campaigns.

PPP leader Hazrat Wali Afridi said that although only few days were left, yet there were still confusion and ambiguities about the elections, scheduled for July 20.

ANP leader Manzoor Afridi said that restoration of incentives for Maliks few days ahead of elections was part of the pre-poll rigging.

Speakers seek arrangements for free and fair elections in Khyber

Senior journalist Ibrahim Shinwari asked political parties to play their due role in mobilising people to come out and cast their votes for the cause of democracy.

Eng Saiful Islam said that people were optimistic about the future of the newly merged areas. He said that a rally led by women in the traditional tribal society spoke volume about the change in the once unruly areas. He asked people to ensure participation of women in the elections.

Tribal elder Malik Zeena Gul Afridi, however, demanded of ECP to increase number of polling stations for women.

Some of the participants showed concerns over the slow pace of reforms in the merged areas.

However, Said Rahim Afridi, the president of Insaf Students Federation, said that overnight change was impossible. “There must be problems and people may have reservations but time will teach us how to move forward,” he added.

Senior journalist Qazi Fazlullah asked the government to compensate the war victims, rehabilitate the displaced people and rebuild the damaged infrastructure.

Mujeebur Rahman Shinwari, the representative of business community, asked the government to pay more attention to the economy of the region. He said that the area should be declared tax-free zone for at least five years. He also demanded of the government to help enhance bilateral trade with neighbouring Afghanistan.

Published in Dawn, July 16th, 2019