Security measure: NA-41, 42 candidates barred from campaigning

Contestants flay district government’s decision.

DERA ISMAIL KHAN: The district government of Dera Ismail Khan (DI Khan) on Friday imposed a ban on election activities of candidates contesting for NA-41 and NA-42 South Waziristan in a bid to ensure security in the area.

Deputy Commissioner Amir Khattak made the decision as per the instructions of the home department and a written order in this regard was forwarded to DI Khan’s district police officer (DPO) Sohail Khalid, who will be responsible for ensuring its implementation.

NA-42 constitutes the Mehsud tribe which was displaced during the military operation, Rah-e-Nejat, against Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in South Waziristan in 2009. Most of the tribesmen now reside as internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Tank and DI Khan.



Candidates for NA-42 had set up election offices in different areas of the city and also held rallies and conventions to convince the Mehsud IDPs to vote for them during the upcoming polls.

PTI’s candidate for NA-42 Dost Muhammad Mehsud confirmed the district government has told them to stop election activities in DI Khan. He, however, argued that if polling stations for IDPs are to be set up in DI Khan and Tank, they should also be allowed to campaign.

Muhammad said he will consult other candidates and challenge the ban in court, adding the decision is “unjust and unfair”.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Dilawar Khan echoed Muhammad’s concerns and claimed the decision had created hurdles in their election campaign.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 4^th, 2013.