[Dawn] Prospective candidates of political parties in Hangu district... Hangu is famous for its greenery, hills, beauty and water. Most of the people of this area are Bangash & Orakzai Pashtuns. Part of the Bangash are Shia. The Orakzai and the Sunni Bangash are determined to kill them...
have so far restricted their election meetings to hujras (private guesthouses), while some of them have been demanding that elections should be held under the supervision of army in this volatile district due to threat of Taliban attacks.
Local people say that the decision by Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat
...which is the false nose and plastic mustache of the murderous
bannedextremist group Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistain, whatcha might call the
political wingof Lashkar-e-Jhangvi...
to take part in the elections has brought a positive change in the political environment, but the threat of terrorism remains as usual.
It may be recalled that in 2008 elections, Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistain had forcibly taken away ballot boxes full of votes from Kahi, Shana Wari and Zargari areas and attacked a cop shoppe in Ghlo Chenna, while terming the elections un-Islamic.
The outgoing public representatives of the district include Haider Ali Shah (MNA) of Awami National Party, MPA from KP-42 Atiqur Rehman and JUI-F's Mufti Syed Janan, who was MPA from KP-43, Hangu-II.
This time Atiqur Rehman has decided to take part in the elections from JUI-F platform. He was elected in 2008 elections on the ticket of PPP-Sherpao. His father, Ghaniur Rehman -- who remained irrigation minister in Aftab Sherpao's cabinet -- was killed two years back by Taliban.
This year new entrants include Pakistain Tehrik-e-Insaf
...a political party in Pakistan. PTI was founded by former Pakistani cricket captain and philanthropist Imran Khan. The party's slogan is
Justice, Humanity and Self Esteem, each of which is open to widely divergent interpretations....
and Sunni Supreme Council whose candidates are Maulana Khayal Zaman and Farid Khan, respectively. They would contest the elections on both the National and provincial assemblies' seats.
Hazrat Mohammad Jalali of JUI-F, Haider Ali of ANP and Khayal Zaman of PTI are said to be the main contestants in coming election for NA-16, Hangu. From time to time the Hangu district remained dominated by beturbanned goon groups, including that of Mullah Toofan, Maulvi Nabbi Hanfi and Zewar Mullah.
Sources said that the Death Eaters were active in the area and nobody was safe from them. Besides, the contestants would be required to take permission for launching open campaign through holding jirgas with beturbanned goon groups.