Benazir demands extension of Political Parties Act 1962 in FATA

Former Prime Minister of Pakistan Benazir Bhutto speaks at a news conference in central London in this file photo from October 19, 2006. (Toby Melville/Reuters)


Benazir demands extension of Political Parties Act 1962 in FATA
Malaysia Sun
Tuesday 31st July, 2007
(ANI)

Islamabad, July 31 : Former Pakistan Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto has filed a constitutional petition in the Supreme Court (SC), seeking enforcement of the Political Parties Act in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA).
The petition filed under Article 184(3) of the Pakistan Constitution demanded extension of the Political Parties Act 1962 in the FATA.
Bhutto also claimed that people in tribal areas were demanding an opportunity to express themselves politically, and added that it was the FATA people's fundamental right to choose their political parties.
The petition claimed that the FATA has been completely handed over to religious parties.
There was also no restriction on religious parties campaigning politically.
Political parties cannot function in tribal areas, though there are 12 and eight seats reserved for FATA members in the National Assembly and Senate respectively.
Since the Political Parties Act is not applicable in FATA, therefore, in the general elections held so far, political parties had not been allowed to field their candidates, the Daily Times reported.
FATA consists of seven agencies called Bajaur, Orakzai, Mohmand, Khyber, Kurram, North Waziristan and South Waziristan, and the Frontier Regions of Peshawar, Kohat, Bannu and Dera Ismail Khan.