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Tribesmen defy Taliban, embrace historic polls
[Pak Daily Times] Pakistain's tribal belt may have been dubbed the world's most dangerous place by the United States, but enthusiastic rustics are defying the Taliban to vote for change at next week's polls.More than 60 people have been killed in jihad boy attacks targeting politicians and political parties since April 11, but amazingly, no one in the seven districts that make up the semi-autonomous region on the Afghan border. One of the most remote and undeveloped parts of the country, the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) provide rear bases for the Afghan Taliban, the Pak Taliban and other al Qaeda-linked groups. But after years of army offensives designed to clear out Taliban hideouts, some of the 1.7 million registered voters in FATA say they feel safe enough to vote and even that women, normally kept in purdah, will vote. For the first time, political parties can campaign directly in FATA -- a reform introduced by the outgoing government in 2011 in an effort to give rustics more of a stake in the country and curb militancy. "People want change. They want a change in the system not just a change of faces," said Miraj Ali, a doctor who runs a clinic in the village of Michni in the district of Mohmand. Tribesmen in the districts of Mohmand, Khyber, Bajaur and North  Wazoo who spoke to AFP accused the outgoing government of doing nothing to improve their lives and blamed it for fighting that has displaced hundreds of thousands.Instead they are looking to the religious parties, cricket star Imran Khan ... aka Taliban Khan, who ain't the brightest knife in the national drawer... , looking to make a political breakthrough at the May 11 polls, or opposition leader Nawaz Sharif ... served two non-consecutive terms as prime minister, heads the Pakistain Moslem League (Nawaz). Noted for his spectacular corruption, the 1998 Pak nuclear test, border war with India, and for being tossed by General Musharraf... bidding for a historic third term. "The two party leaders with the most support are Imran Khan and Nawaz Sharif," admitted Ali. All main parties are visibly campaigning, but of the 339 candidates competing for 12 National Assembly seats from FATA, only 81 represent parties -- the rest are officially independents, even if some privately favour one party over another. Posted by: Fred 2013-05-05 |
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