ECP asked not to cut provincial assembly seat of Chitral
Salim Khan[/caption] A resolution moved by the PPP legislator from Chitral Salim Khan was actually about not decreasing a provincial assembly seat from his own district. The resolution stated that in the wake of the recently conducted national census, the delimitation of constituencies was being started and through media it had come to limelight that one provincial seat from Chitral was being given to another district. Decreasing one provincial assembly seat of Chitral would further increase the deprivation and backwardness of the area-wise largest district of the province. He said the people of Chitral were shocked over the development and if it really happened they were likely to go for the boycott of the general elections 2018. After the presentation of the resolution, Minister for Higher Education Mushtaq Ahmad Ghani also proposed the inclusion of Charsadda, Swabi, Abbottabad and Haripur districts in it to which the mover also agreed. Later, Speaker Asad Qaiser put the resolution to vote and the house approved it unanimously. –Khyber News]]>
This resolution is illegal and shows that members of assembly do not know the abc of law governing elections and constituencies. On what basis they demand that Chitral seat should not be cut?? The law limits the number of seats to population, and Chitral’s population do not qualify for two MPAs. yes they can speak about the anomalies in census due to which population of Chitral was recorded very low. All those living outside of Chitral on the day of census were not counted in the local population. So about one third or even more people of Chitral remain non-Chitralis.
Last year the provincial Assembly had moved a similar resolution to keep the lowari tunnel open for three days a week instead of two. The NHA virtually threw the resolution in the dustbin and did what it wanted i.e two days opening prevailed. So much for the sanctity of a unanimous resolution. That was a petty matter. I hope some miracle happens now and the PA resolution is honoured.