PESHAWAR: The proposed delimitation of constituencies has caused a serious unrest among political parties as many of their nominated candidates who had already launched their campaigns were shocked by these changes.

Almost all the major political parties have rejected the delimitation and urged the Election Commission of Pakistan to reconsider its decision and redress their grievances otherwise the uncertainty would force them to agitate.

Talking to this correspondent, Awami National Party general secretary Mian Iftikhar Hussain said that all the political parties had reservations about the delimitation, but Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf leadership, especially Chief Minister Pervez Khattak, was happy over the ECP decision.

He said that it was astonishing that the ECP decreased the number of seats in different districts where population had increased. He said that if the census report was true then the provincial assembly seats should also be increased in various constituencies. “We are of the view that the changes have been brought under a particular thinking to bring PTI in power as it seems to be a likely beneficiary of the delimitation,” he commented.

Leaders say they have serious reservations about the ECP decision

The ANP leader suggested that the decision about delimitation of constituencies should be withdrawn because many of the political parties had already distributed election tickets. He added that the changes in constituencies would increase problems for the candidates.

Mr Hussain claimed that the changes had been made for senior politicians to detach them from the voters and old supporters and reduce their popularity in respective constituencies in order to make the political situation favourable for PTI candidates.

He alleged that such steps were also taken in 2013 wherein PTI was given ‘fake’ mandate. He said that changes had also been made in the constituencies in his home district Nowshera where all the political parties were opposing the delimitation, but Pervez Khattak was happy.

PML-N provincial secretary information Nasir Khan Musazai said that all the constituencies were disturbed unnecessarily and problems increased for the candidates. “My own constituency (NA-4, Peshawar) has been divided into two parts and the localities attached to it recently will give benefit to the PTI candidate,” he claimed.

He said that ECP had sought proposals from the political parties, but the general elections were so close that candidates would be unable to run their campaigns. He said that delimitation needed to be decided on the basis of voters’ lists instead of present population.

Qaumi Watan Party provincial chairman Sikandar Hayat Sherpao alleged that PTI had used the deputy commissioners for creating new constituencies so that its own candidates could get advantage in future elections.

Pakistan Peoples Party provincial vice-president Syed Ayub Shah said that such decisions were taken as a result of the weak stance of political parties and disunity on different issues. He said that all the political parties were facing internal rifts because decisions were not taken on merit while corruption was at its peak.

Referring to the horse-trading in Senate elections, he said that ideological workers from the middle class had no place in political parties. He said that it was duty of the politicians to follow the policy of merit and justice so that the political parties could raise voice collectively on issues like mistakes in census and delimitation.

Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf MPA Shaukat Yousufzai said that he had made strenuous efforts to increase his vote bank in Ander Shehr, Ganj, Karimpura and Yakatoot areas, but the areas were cut off from his constituency. He said that the new areas attached to his constituency included Din Bahar Colony, Faqirabad-I and II, which increased his difficulties. However, the PTI lawmaker said that his party believed that the decisions of state institutions should be followed.

Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl secretary information Maulana Abdul Jalil Jan said that his party had asked its district level units to file complaints with the ECP in respective areas through lawyers. “We have reservations about the delimitation, but our complaints will be of no use because the general elections are drawing nearer and the appeals might not be accommodated in such a short period,” he said.

Jamaat-i-Islami spokesman Jumaat Ali Shah said that his party had serious reservations about the delimitation because many of the candidates had worked hard in their constituencies, which were divided without taking the political leadership into confidence.

He said that it seemed as if a single person had taken the decision about delimitation.

Published in Dawn, March 12th, 2018