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Mullahs lose NWFP control after five years
Pakistans main alliance of religious parties faced heavy losses on Tuesday, five years after winning control of the NWFP, unofficial election results showed. The Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) alliance, with 50 seats, was the third-largest grouping in the previous parliament.But they had won just three seats out of 235 counted in unofficial results announced by the Pakistan Television channel on Tuesday afternoon. Formed in 2002, the alliance won control of the NWFP on the back of fierce anti-American sentiment after US-led troops overthrew the hardline Taliban regime in neighbouring Afghanistan in late 2001. Their electoral success raised international fears about a growing influence of hardline Islam in politics in Pakistan. Peshawar residents: Residents in Peshawar welcomed the setback for the mullahs on Tuesday with gunfire and street celebrations. In one constituency, up to 4,000 people gathered early to celebrate the victory of Arbab Alamgir Khan of the Pakistan Peoples Party, an AFP reporter witnessed. Long live Bhutto! they shouted, firing volleys of gunfire into the air from pickup trucks. These people did nothing for us during their five-year tenure and just strengthened the hands of Islamists and those supporting militancy, said Raees Zaidi, a property dealer. People believe that there should be moderate and progressive parties to lead them in a right direction and steer the province out of the turmoil caused by the MMA. Ifran Jan, an auto-rickshaw mechanic, called the mullahs religious fanatics and said a vote for them would be wasted. These mullahs made our lives miserable, said Jan, his hands stained with engine oil. They showed us dreams of a prosperous NWFP but left us at the mercy of militants. This situation was simply unacceptable. A senior government official said the results showed a clear verdict by the people against those who use religion as a tool to gain political clout. Posted by: Fred 2008-02-20 |
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