PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Pervez Khattak and Jamaat-i-Islami provincial chief Senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan have asked the Election Commission of Pakistan to hold polls for the provincial Assembly seats in Fata along with the upcoming general elections.

Elections in the tribal region, which is now part of KP, will take place within a year after the 2018 general elections are held.

Sources in the PTI told Dawn that Mr Khattak wrote a letter to the chief execution commissioner two days ago saying the 31st Constitutional Amendment had received the requisite concurrence of parliament and provincial assembly for the purpose.

CM fears Fata elections after new govt’s formation to cause discord

The CM said the amendment in Article 106 of the Constitution had changed the existing composition of the KP assembly and under Section 106 (1), the provincial legislature new strength would stand at 145 members including 115 general seats, 26 women reserved seats for women and four seats for non-Muslims.

Of this, 14 general seats, four women seats and a non-Muslims seat would represent the Fata in the KP assembly.

In the letter, he noted that Clause 106(1A) of the Constitution, which allocated 21 seats to the Fata in KP Assembly, had added a new sensitivity to the historical tradition.

The CM said the 21 seats allocated to the newly added areas would have definite impact on the complexion of the provincial assembly and hence for the elected government.

“There is a strong probability of political uncertainty in the province after general elections and till the conclusion of the elections in tribal belt,” he said.

Mr Khattak said the holding of fair and transparent elections in the areas of the Fata would be difficult during the incumbency of political regime in the province.

He said KP needed political stability ever more in the view of the paramount requirements and manifestation of 31st Amendment in the Constitution.

“Any and every wrangling and instability will have negative imprints on the strategic gains and dividends achieved after the integration and merger of tribal areas in the province of the KP,” he said.

The CM said delay in elections for 21 seats allocated to Fata would have serious consequences and needs to be addressed on priority in the larger national interest.

He said conducting elections later on, after the installation of the new government, was likely to attract the usual criticism, allegations and counter allegations, regarding influencing of the process by the ruling party which would be potential flashpoint of discord that this region could ill afford.

The CM said if it was not possible to hold elections as proposed by the KP government, the ECP could put in place a modality to preclude possibility of any political instability in the province of KP consequent upon induction of large number of members of provincial assembly to be elected subsequently, by tipping the balance against the party in power.

In a statement issued here, a spokesman for the PTI said Mr Khattak’s letter was the reflection of local situation and any issue including Fata merge could not be used delay elections.

“The PTI is ready for elections,” he said.

Meanwhile, JI provincial chief and Senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan told a party function here that the ECP should hold elections for the provincial assembly in Fata along with the general elections instead of conducting separate exercise in 2019.

A statement, Mr Mushtaq said the party would contest general elections in Fata from the platform of Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal under the symbol of book.

He said the five-party religious alliance would win elections in KP and Fata with overwhelming majority.

The JI provincial chief said the meeting discussed situation in Fata in the backdrop of the passage of constitution amendment under which the tribal area would be merged with Fata.

He said war on terrorism had caused widespread damages to infrastructure in tribal area therefore the government should pay Rs110 billion as compensation and announce additional package for the area.

Mr Mushtaq said Fata should get three per cent of the total share of National Finance Commission Award and give tribal area exemption from all taxes for 70 years.

He said the government should declare education emergency in the area and increase quota for tribal students in professional colleges.

Published in Dawn, June 1st, 2018