The pamphlets were handwritten in Pashto, and dozens of them had been pasted on walls. DESIGN: SIDRAH MOIZ KHAN
On Thursday afternoon, pamphlets were found in the areas warning supporters of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Awami National Party (ANP) of consequences if party banners were not removed.
The pamphlets were handwritten in Pashto, and dozens of them had been pasted on walls.
A resident identified as Naheed Khan told The Express Tribune the pamphlets were pasted on the villages’ walls. “They directed ANP and PPP supporters to remove party banners, posters and flags within three days,” he explained. The pamphlet also claimed those in violation of the orders after the given deadline — which ends Sunday — would be killed.
The pamphlets read 11 suicide bombers had been readied to carry out targeted attacks, and it was in the residents’ best interests to comply.
“We live on the border of the disputed villages located around Mohmand Agency where these militants actively operate, so it is natural that we are concerned about this development,” said Shahkoor Ahmad, another villager. He added militants were using boats to cross the River Kabul and infiltrate the settled district from the tribal areas.
Locals removed the pamphlets from their villages and informed the Mathra police station. A Mathra police official said the pamphlets had been pasted by unidentified persons. “I saw them (the pamphlets), there was no organisation name such as the Tehreek-e-Taliban or any such thing indicating who the authors were,” he claimed. Pamphlets such as these had been received in the past, but were written in Urdu and bore the militants’ letterhead. “Threats are always present, but this could have been done by a political rival to create fear among PPP and ANP voters,” he said.
The official maintained full security provisions would be provided to candidates and election offices, despite this.
He said there were 78 polling stations in the area, all of which had been designated sensitive.
Hangu
Farid Khan, independent candidate for PK-42, on Thursday denied having anything to do with a pamphlet distributed a day earlier accusing the Sunni Supreme Council in Hangu of being responsible for creating sectarian rifts in the region.
A pamphlet distributed on Wednesday bearing the name of Khan blamed the council for allegedly adopting double standards in order to fuel sectarian violence.
Addressing journalists during a gathering at the Hangu Press Club, Khan said unidentified persons had distributed pamphlets in Hangu city bearing his name. Khan, who is supported by members of the council, said neither he nor his supporters distributed the leaflets and alleged it was propaganda by those who did not want to see him win the seat.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 3rd, 2013.
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