Murad Khan
GHALANAI: 1st phase of Election 2024(Political campaign by political parties and candidates) ended on 12 AM at midnight on 6th February in all over the country including Mohmand Tribal District. The election materials have been distributed today amongst the Polling officers and Assistant Presiding officers, in the supervision of district administration and election commission officials, all the preparations for the final countdown on 8th February are ready and the historic general elections will be held by tomorrow (on 8th February).
Mohmand tribal district has one National Assembly (NA-26) and two provincial assembly seats (PK-67-1 Lower Mohmand & PK-68-2-Upper Mohmand Khewizi & Baizi). The total number of registered voters in the district are 359045, including 206785 male and 152260 female voters. Total 195 polling stations have been made, including 62 most sensitive, 94 sensitive and 39 normal polling stations.
For the security of these polling stations 2900 police persons have been deployed, the Army and FC will work as a quick response force. About the preparations of the polling activities the Deputy Commissioner District Mohmand Dr, Ihtisham-ul-Haq said” I will say thanks to all the law enforcement agencies and local community on completing the 1st phase of election campaign, with the help of local community there was no adverse event recorded and all the arrangements have been, the polling materials are transferring to the polling stations, we have started the transfer of material on 9 am and we are trying to complete the transfer up to 4PM. in first phase, we sent the materials to far-flung areas, following by other nearby areas and after the end of polling on 8th February, the result will be prepare, the police have been already deployed on polling stations and the voting will start by tomorrow.”
About the security arrangements for the polling in the district, the DPO (District Police Officer) Ayaz Khan says “in order to control the law and order situation, 2900 police persons have been deployed in the whole district, and additionally, the army and FC teams will work as QRF(quick response force).” “Additional security persons have been deployed on most sensitive and sensitive polling stations and we are preparing for any kind of security assignments” He added.
The District election commissioner Umar Khan said “by the help of district administration and law enforcement agencies, we have started the transfer of polling materials to the polling stations, this process will end by 4PM today and the voting will commence from 8 AM soon by tomorrow.” He appealed the local community to coordinate with the polling staff in order to smoothly complete the election process.
Ex-MNA and the candidate for NA-26 Muhammad Sajid khan said that they went to each and every village and met with the people, they hope that the people of the district Mohmand once again will trust him and if he wins, he will accomplish the PTI Ex-chairman mission. Waheed Mohmand, PPPP General Secretary and the NA-26 candidates said that after the FATA merger the awareness amongst the people has been increased. About his manifesto he said that I will solve the demarcation problem with Charsada, establishment of University in Mohmand, and will promote the marble industry. About the electricity problem, he said that we will make 5MG solar electricity in Khawezi and Baizi area.
About construction of roads he said that it will be linked with CPEC. He claimed that majority of roads and colleges have been made by founder of PPPP, similarly the people are benefiting from BISP, so only PPPP is the party, which can solve all the problems of Mohmand District. At the same time he also threatened the Mohmand’s people that if they did not give vote to PPPP, they might cancel BISP program. A young man, Mr. Wasim 25 years old, belonging to Tehsil Pandialai, District Mohmand says “the election is very good for our country, as the interim government has no powers, if the elected governments come in power, it will be good for the whole country.” 40 years old SammiUllah belonging to Tehsil Ekka Ghund says “the elections are very important for our country, as all the activities were blocked from the last one year, as interim govt. has no powers to take decisions and they are not accepting responsibilities like economy and law & order situation, so when an elected government comes in power, they will be responsible of each and every thing and overall the situation of the country will be improved.”
Almost all the political parties and candidates for provincial and National assembly have no clear manifesto or future plan for the main issues of Mohmand Tribal Districts, in public gathering and political campaigns, majority of the candidates looked busy in leg-fooling and blaming each other. In spite of presenting his manifesto or future plan, a candidate of the National Assembly from the large party threatened his workers of depriving from BISP stipend. All the arrangements have been made for the final countdown. Anyone who wins will have to face tough challenges in the form server load shedding, water scarcity, main roads and other infrastructure, mine and lease issues.
