In the upcoming elections, contestants for the Provincial and National Assemblies in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) will contest on party-basis for the first time in history. This momentous occasion will culminate over a hundred years of the people’s struggle to exercise their right of electing political parties and their candidates freely and individually.
The journey towards democracy in the Indian Subcontinent began back in 1909, when the Colonial Powers first began to yield to the political aspirations of the local populace, albeit grudgingly. Leading up to the independence of Pakistan, at first the government nominees were allowed into legislative councils and later limited franchise elections were held.
But, these political developments largely eluded FATA where the same tribal chieftains that had been allowed into the Diwan-e-Khaas of the Mughal emperors, were re-branded as Maliks and handed the political and administrative reins of their respective tribal agencies.
Adult franchise on party basis was finally afforded to this nation in the General Elections of 1970. However, the inhabitants of the tribal areas had to wait until 1996 for this right to be acknowledged.
Although voting in FATA during the 1997, 2002 and 2008 elections was held under adult franchise, political parties were not allowed to mobilise here. As a result, candidates only received covert support from their political parties and contested the elections as independent candidates.
At the behest of former President, General (R) Pervez Musharraf, the Governor of the then North West Frontier Province, established provisional agency councils in FATA in December 2004. While the move was touted as devolution of power to tribal inhabitants, in reality it reiterated the hold of the Federal Government and in particular, of the President over this region.
On 14 August 2009, President Asif Ali Zardari extended the Political Party Order of 2002, to FATA. As a result, political parties are allowed to canvas and campaign the tribal areas in the upcoming elections.
The Frontier Crimes Regulation enacted by the British Government back in 1848 is still in force in FATA. Due to this ‘black law’, political agents will continue to wield power in the tribal areas. However, the 2013 General Elections will be the first time in the history of FATA that the people will directly elect representatives of political parties to the 12 National Assembly seats, in addition to the Provincial Assembly seats for FATA.