Ghulam Mursalin Marwat
LAKKI MARWAT: The residents of Abakhel union council held a protest demonstration in Lakki city on Wednesday against the proposed delimitations of provincial assembly constituencies.
The protesters gathered in Qazi Ishfaq chowk on main bus stand and closed Tajazai-Darra Tang portion of busy Bannu-Mianwali road. Led by district councilor Irfanllah Khan they carried banners with slogans regarding rejecting proposed delimitations of constituencies. The closure of road disrupted flow of traffic between Khyber Pakhtnkhwa and Punjab. The protesters later opened the road for vehicular traffic and reached press club building after passing through old kachery road.
On the occasion they told journalists that the delimitations of constituencies were against the wishes and aspirations of residents of the district. “The residents of Abakhel are the worst sufferers of the proposed delimitations issued by Election Commission of Pakistan”, they maintained. They said that provincial assembly constituencies including PK 74, PK 75 and PK 76 had been reconstituted and renamed as PK 91, PK 92 and PK 93 and that no new constituency of provincial or national assembly was constituted in the district.
“The Abakhel union council was part of PK 76 hence it should have been included in PK 93 after renaming and reconstitution of constituencies”, they added, disclosing that the union council has been made part of PK 92 which is not acceptable to them at any cost. Irfanullah said that local residents had reservations on delimitations and they would not accept inclusion of Abakhel in PK 92. “The reconstitution of constituencies is politically motivated and it would badly impact the would be candidates in coming general elections”, he alleged.
He said that area people would oppose illegal and unjust delimitation of constituencies as it had disturbed their unity. Other speakers said that the new decimations had increased the worries of would be candidates. “The candidates worked hard and served people in the localities that have been included in the constituencies’ from where they are not interested to contest coming election”, they claimed.
They demanded of the authorities concerned to review the delimitation and restore union council Abakhel in PK-76(now PK 93). They warned that the residents of Abakhel would have no motion other than to boycott upcoming general elections and polio eradication campaigns if their demand was not met.
