PPP U-turn on census, delimitation absurd, says Sherpao

QWP chief says demand for polls as per 1998 headcount annuls struggle for new census

PESHAWAR: Qaumi Watan Party Chairman Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao has said that Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) U-turn on the issue of delimitation of constituencies of the National Assembly is against the interest of people and the country.

“PPP demand to hold election on the basis of 1998 census will further worsen the sense of deprivation among smaller units of the country,” he said addressing a public gathering at Bahadar Kalay Peshawar on Friday.

The gathering was held to welcome a prominent political figure, Haji Malik Jan, in QWP fold with scores of his family members and supporters.

Jan, announcing his joining QWP, expressed confidence on the leadership of Sherpao and Co-chairman Sikandar Sherpao.

The elder Sherpao said if for instance PPP demand was met, holding elections on the basis of 1998 headcount and delimitation of constituencies would make the upcoming election process doubtful.

PPP’s demand disregards the struggle of the political parties for holding the census, he said. Such demands would jeopardise timely polls, the QWP chief said.

He said that according to the new census, the constituencies in K-P and Balochistan have been increased and any constitutional and legal battle over the matter could deprive the masses of the smaller provinces from their legal rights.

He said that democracy is vital for the national development and prosperity and asked for bringing about purity and betterment in the democratic system to address the problem of the miserable masses through vote bank.

Sherpao expressed concern over the census results in Fata. The population of Fata has been reduced by design conspiracy in the fresh count, which would deprive the tribal region of their rightful share in the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award.

“We believed that merger of Fata with Khyber-Pakhtunkhawa was likely to end the sufferings of the tribal people and ensure them all fundamental rights,” the stalwart leader of Pakhtun cause said.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 11^th, 2017.