The government has decided to hold first ever election in the Fata including North Waziristan Agency to bring these areas at par with country’s settled districts and tackle the scourge of terrorism and extremism politically.

Well-placed sources told The Nation on Wednesday that government is devising a comprehensive security plan to ensure that voters in Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) are facilitated to the extent that they could freely exercise their right to vote.Sources said that a high level meeting would be held soon in the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to finalise the election arrangements for Fata where nearly two million voters for the first time would directly elect their representatives.

Sources further said that Pakistan Army and other law enforcement agencies have been asked to give their input on the security of voters including the internally displaced persons (IDPs) living in the camps who had left their homes during military operations.“I have demanded from the election commission to make adequate polling arrangements for the IDPs,” leader of Fata Group in the National Assembly, Munir Khan Orakzai, told The Nation. He confirmed that election on all the 12 National Assembly seats in Fata will be held as result of extension of Political Parties Act 1973.

Nothing is impossible where there is a political will of the government and national consensus,” Pakistan Mulsim League (PML) Vice President Ajmal Khan Wazir said in response to question on engaging Taliban in national politics. “This is long term effort and may not be possible in the upcoming elections,” Ajmal said, adding his party has given due input on electoral reforms in Fata.Military sources acknowledged election-related challenges in Fata but said the security forces were all set to discharge the national duty for ensuring peaceful polling in a secured environment.

Ajmal Wazir, who is one of the members of the Political Parties Joint Committee on Fata Reforms (Fata Committee), said that as many as ten major political parties except PTI have sought urgent action by the ECP in addressing five key concerns to ensure fair, transparent and accessible general elections in Fata.He said that 10 political parties making up the Fata Committee recommend that the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) and the ECP take swift measures in Fata to increase computerised national identity card (CNIC) issuance and voter registration. Historically disenfranchised, Fata voters deserve increased efforts to facilitate their participation in the upcoming general elections, he added. In a letter delivered on Wednesday to the ECP and Nadra,

the Political Parties Joint Committee on Fata Reforms submitted the consensus recommendations for their immediate consideration and action. The letter was also delivered to President Asif Ali Zardari, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Syed Masood Kausar, and the SAFRON Ministry secretary.The committee recommended that the ECP allow internally displaced persons (IDPs) to cast votes from camps and host communities for candidates in their home constituency.

Political parties also urge government authorities to ensure that judicial officers from neighbouring settled districts serve as returning officers and district returning officers, just as has been planned for elections throughout Pakistan.In line with other recommendations from political parties, the Fata Committee requested that the ECP ensure polling stations are within two kilometres of voter homes as per by the Supreme Court directions. It also recommended the ECP regularly meet with the leadership of political parties in Fata to address the complex electoral challenges there.