‘Seat adjustment’: ECP looks to double Balochistan’s NA seats
Measure discussed with political parties in meeting last week.
ISLAMABAD:
While accusations continue to fly from all sides on the Balochistan crisis, a strategic solution has been proposed to try to help settle the issue.
In a sweeping proposal, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has suggested to political parties that increased electoral representation could help assuage the sense of deprivation from among the people of the province
Despite covering over 40 per cent of the country’s land mass, Balochistan has only 14 representatives in the lower house under the existing formula in which National Assembly seats are determined on the basis of population. Punjab, the largest province in terms of population, has 148.
Two measures have been proposed so far. The first one deals with allowing at least one constituency per district, while the other deals with relaxing the population criteria specifically for Balochistan. As a result of these measures, the commission intends to double Balochistan’s constituencies from 14 to 28.
The province currently has 30 districts. However, each of its constituencies covers over two districts, stretching for hundreds of kilometers, given the sparse population.
The proposal, given by the ECP secretary, was first discussed by the members of the commission and then presented to political parties during a consultative meeting on September 27. The meeting was attended by 15 mainstream political parties.
According to the proposal, all political parties of the country, including those which have no representation in parliament, will be consulted on the matter.
ECP meeting
During the meeting, the Talal Akbar Bugti-led Jamhoori Watan Party (JWP) warned that it would boycott the next general elections if the law and order situation in the province was not improved.
Similar messages have been given by a number of nationalist groups in the province. Former chief minister of the province Nawab Akhtar Mengal has also stated on a number of occasions that participation in the next elections under the prevailing underrepresentation was not being looked forward to by Baloch leaders.
If the proposal for increased Balochistan seats materialises, a constitutional amendment would be necessary, which provides for the delimitation of constituencies — last carried out in 2002.
According to the ECP’s minutes, the measure was received well by the political parties, but a final decision on the matter has not been taken yet.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 2nd, 2012.
While accusations continue to fly from all sides on the Balochistan crisis, a strategic solution has been proposed to try to help settle the issue.
In a sweeping proposal, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has suggested to political parties that increased electoral representation could help assuage the sense of deprivation from among the people of the province
Despite covering over 40 per cent of the country’s land mass, Balochistan has only 14 representatives in the lower house under the existing formula in which National Assembly seats are determined on the basis of population. Punjab, the largest province in terms of population, has 148.
Two measures have been proposed so far. The first one deals with allowing at least one constituency per district, while the other deals with relaxing the population criteria specifically for Balochistan. As a result of these measures, the commission intends to double Balochistan’s constituencies from 14 to 28.
The province currently has 30 districts. However, each of its constituencies covers over two districts, stretching for hundreds of kilometers, given the sparse population.
The proposal, given by the ECP secretary, was first discussed by the members of the commission and then presented to political parties during a consultative meeting on September 27. The meeting was attended by 15 mainstream political parties.
According to the proposal, all political parties of the country, including those which have no representation in parliament, will be consulted on the matter.
ECP meeting
During the meeting, the Talal Akbar Bugti-led Jamhoori Watan Party (JWP) warned that it would boycott the next general elections if the law and order situation in the province was not improved.
Similar messages have been given by a number of nationalist groups in the province. Former chief minister of the province Nawab Akhtar Mengal has also stated on a number of occasions that participation in the next elections under the prevailing underrepresentation was not being looked forward to by Baloch leaders.
If the proposal for increased Balochistan seats materialises, a constitutional amendment would be necessary, which provides for the delimitation of constituencies — last carried out in 2002.
According to the ECP’s minutes, the measure was received well by the political parties, but a final decision on the matter has not been taken yet.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 2nd, 2012.