Elders of the internally displaced persons (IDPs) from tehsil Bara of Khyber Agency demanded of the Election Commission of Pakistan to establish polling booths for the upcoming general elections of National Assembly Constituency, NA-44 Bara Tribal areas-V in their makeshift Jalozai camp so that maximum number of IDPs could cast their votes.
Speaking at a news conference at Peshawar Press Club on Tuesday, President of Tehreek-e-Mustareen Rabita Committee tehsil Bara Khyber Agency, Namdar Afridi said that majority of the displaced families had yet to return to their native towns in Khyber region, which meant they would not be able to cost their vote in the forthcoming general elections.
The IDPs leader maintained it would be quite difficult for IDPs, especially women voters to travel from camps to their regions on the polling day due to imposition of curfew. So, he said the election commission should establish polling booths at the makeshift Jalozai IDP camp that would ensure them use the right to vote. He informed that more than 60 per cent displaced youth are in the Jalozai camp, which had taken active part in electioneering campaign.
Afriid said that they would fully take part in the upcoming general elections, which is scheduled to be held on July 25. But, he urged the election commission to take steps to ensure maximum participation of IDP male and female voters in this electoral exercise.
Accompanied by the IDPs elders, Khyal Baz, Ishfaq Afridi and Khan Baz and others, the IDPs leader said the unfamiliar faces were fielded by the different political and religious parties to contest elections on NA-44 seat of Khyber Agency.
However, he said that the IDPs would only support those candidates which had raised voice for their rights. He said they would support the PTI nominated candidate for NA-44, Muhammad Iqbal Afridi, who had raised voice for their right. He vowed that they have already launched a vigorous electioneering campaign for him and hoped that he will become victorious on July 25.