Khyber tribesmen hint at demand for separate province

Representatives of tribal people point out exclusion of IDPs, express reservations on demarcation of constituencies

PESHAWAR: Tribesmen of Khyber tribal district have warned that they will raise the demand for a separate province if they were not taken into confidence by the government over the delimitation exercise, which they have called unjust and unacceptable.

The government and the officials concerned should take notice of the so called delimitation, said the Khyber Union during a press conference at Peshawar Press Club on Tuesday. Khyber Union President Bazar Gul and General Secretary Murad Saq told the media that the Khyber district after the new delimitation was given three provincial seats, but influential politicians got all three seats awarded in their constituencies.

The union demanded that the three seats should comprise of Jamrud, Landi Kotal and Bara tehsils so that longstanding issues of these places could be resolved be the representatives of the people.

They said that the PTI government has formed the PK-105 constituency comprising of four small tribes in Tehsil Landi Kotal. Terming the step unconstitutional, the Khyber Union blamed the government for using the Election Commission of Pakistan to demarcate a constituency tailor made for helping PTI supported candidates.

The combined population of the four tribes in PK-105 is less than that of Qambar Khel tribe, they said, pointing towards the unjust treatment for other people of the district.  Regarding PK-106, they said that the constituency includes only one tribe, Kuki Khel, in Jamrud tehsil and Rajkal, a far-flung area of Bara tehsil, has been merged into it. The said most of the people of Rajkal were IDPs living in camps in other districts.



They further said that Bara tehsil has been included in PK-107 constituency which borders Afghanistan and the Kurram tribal district, which again reflects injustice to the local people. The union representatives hinted the government that they do not accept the census results and hence do not accept the new delimitation.

They demanded of the government to review and revisit the census and delimitation exercise.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 9^th, 2019.