Bajaur Agency, Nov 19: All Bajaur Political Parties Alliance (ABPA) decided to file petition in Supreme Court of Pakistan for holding local bodies’ elections in federally administered tribal areas.
The decision was made in a meeting of the alliance held here at Khar on Tuesday and was decided to register the case on November 25th, 2013.
ABPA president and former Senator, Maulana Abdur Rasheed, chaired the meeting where office bearers of the alliance and senior local leaders of several political and religious parties participated.
Leaders of the participating political and religious parties also spoke at the occasion including former member of national assembly Syed Akhoon Zada Chattan, President Pakistan People’s Party Bajaur Agency, Aurangzeb Enqilabi, Haji Rahat Yousaf and Gull Kareem Khan of Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz, Shah Naseer Khan and Abdul Manan Kakajee of Awami National Party, Maulana Waheed Gull and Qari Abdul Majeed of Jamatt-i-Islmai, Gull Dad Khan and Dr Khalil-ur-Rahman of PTI and Haji Said Badshah of PML-Q.
Participants showed great concern over the federal government and the election commission of Pakistan for not holding local bodies’ election in the tribal areas.
“The gesture of federal government with respect of keeping the tribal belt away from the local bodies’ election gives us the signal of alienation in Pakistan”, said Akhoon Zada Chattan.
He further added that absence of full constitutional rights to FATA people, equal civic facilities and lack of proper judicial system are the main hurdles in the development of tribal belt.
“The people of FATA are the citizen of Pakistan but couldn’t make progress till complete constitutional rights, local government system and equal basic civic facilities were extended to them”, Mr. Chattan said.
Talking to FRC after meeting, president of ABPA, Maulana Abdur Rasheed, said that participating political parties unanimously agreed to file petition in the Supreme Court for holding local bodies’ election in the tribal areas.
“The purpose to file petition in the Supreme Court is to enforce federal government to immediately announce schedule for the local bodies’ election in FATA because we consider ourselves part of this country”, said the president of ABPA.
He further revealed that it was also decided in the meeting that leaders of all political parties operating in FATA would be taken into confidence in this regard and a committee has been formed for this purpose and will meet them before filing the petition in Supreme Court.
