Admirable step for tribal districts

ECP could swiftly complete the prerequisites of holding an election in the tribal districts at the earliest

On May 13, 2019, Pakistan’s National Assembly unanimously passed the 26^th Constitutional Amendment Bill which increased the number of seats for the newly merged Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Tribal Districts or KPTDs (formerly Fata) from 16 to 24 in the K-P Assembly and from six to 12 in the National Assembly. The Amendment Bill will pave the way for a smooth political transition of the tribal districts after it was merged with K-P in May 2018.

The Bill was jointly moved by Religious Affairs Minister Noorul Haq Qadri and MNA Mohsin Dawar. A major reason behind introducing this Bill was that the people of the tribal districts were under-represented in the recently held population census in 2017 since a significant number of the region’s population was temporarily displaced (TDPs) due to military operations, and was subsequently left out in the counting. While the passage of the said Bill is certainly a good omen, certain reservations are being expressed with regard to any delay in holding elections in these newly merged districts which were earlier scheduled in July this year. Despite these concerns, the move should be appreciated as a right step in the smooth and swift merger of the erstwhile Fata with K-P. This constitutional amendment Bill holds immense significance on three counts:

One, the number of public representatives from the seven tribal districts in both the National Assembly and K-P Provincial Assembly has increased as per their aspirations. This enhanced representation will undoubtedly serve as a good opportunity for the political grooming of tribal people who have lived under the shadows of Frontier Crime Regulation (FCR) since 1901. Under the FCR, the political power had remained concentrated in the hands of local political elites (Maliks and Masharaan), thereby giving rise to frustration and social disharmony among the commoners. After the Fata-K-P merger, the political authority will devolve to the general masses which will be represented through their electable in both the provincial and national legislatures. This will provide an opportunity to the common tribesmen to participate in political processes to protect their rights and serve their interests.

Second, the move will help the tribal women and youth to be part of the future governance system in these newly merged tribal districts. These two factions of tribal society have remained marginalised throughout. But during the past few years, they have become quite vocal in demanding their rights. A true manifestation of this was seen during the debate over Fata’s merger with K-P which received an overwhelming support from them. Previously, an increased sense of deprivation and political aloofness has served as a catalyst for the tribal youth to support radical movements in the area. Now they have the opportunity to play an active role in the political governance of the tribal districts and become part of the mainstream politics.

Third, this Bill will increase the prospects of political stability on sustainable basis in the currently fragile settings of the tribal belt. Any reforms programme can be considered successful if it has the element of sustainability. The sustainability comes with local ownership and that is only possible if the locals are provided with more opportunities to participate. Therefore, an increase in the representation will increase the stakes of local tribal people in the continuation of the political process which could help in achieving the goal of sustainability.

The Election Commission could do well to swiftly complete the prerequisites of holding an election in the tribal districts at the earliest. Any delay may lead to misgivings among the tribesmen. In the meantime, political parties should be encouraged to initiate political activities in the region to educate and encourage local people to participate in the electoral processes.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 22^nd, 2019.

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