Khyber Agency: Political leaders accuse administration of pre-poll rigging

Allege the bureaucracy does not want to relinquish its powers.

PESHAWAR:

Leaders of multiple political parties held a press conference on Monday to express their reservations over the role of Khyber Agency’s political administration in regard to the upcoming general elections.

These will be the first elections in Fata after the extension of the Political Parties Act to the tribal belt. Political leaders, however, fear the elections will be hijacked by the bureaucracy which would not want to give up their powers.

The conference was addressed by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Ikram Ullah Jan Koki Khel, while Awami National Party (ANP) Vice-President Manzoor Afridi, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl’s (JUI-F) Saeed Kabir, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s Ameen Zada Afridi and Qaumi Watan Party’s Vice President in Khyber Agency Asad Afridi were also present.

“The political administration does not want the tribal areas to become free from its shackles and to make their own choices,” alleged Ikram Ullah.



“In NA-45, the administration is not only supporting independent candidates, but has also told elders of the Koki Khel tribe to accept them and not field any candidates against them.”

Even the media in Peshawar is being used to spread misinformation that the Koki Khel tribe has unanimously accepted Shahji Gul, an independent candidate, Ikram Ullah said, adding the administration must limit its role in line with the law and create favourable conditions to conduct elections.

JUI-F’s Saeed Kabir claimed millions of rupees are being spent to support certain candidates. Kabir also alleged the loyalties of clerics and Maliks in villages have been ‘bought’ to influence the outcome of the polls.



Advocate Taj Mahal Afridi, an independent candidate from the agency, said since the political administration yields unlimited powers through the Frontier Crimes Regulation, democracy can fail and cause unrest in the tribal areas.

The leaders requested the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to fully extend its authority to the tribal areas and restrict the administration from meddling in the election process.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 9^th, 2013.