­DERA GHAZI KHAN-Twelve influential tribal lords of seven different tribes including Khosa, Qaisrani, Leghari, Lund, Buzdar, Dareshak and Khitran are in electoral race for the upcoming general election and facing tough questions by their voters.
It is first time in the history of tribal area of DG Khan district that tribal lords are facing harsh questions by people of their constituencies.
They are being questioned for their past performance and the promises they failed to fulfil. Earlier, residents of tribal areas were dealt as slaves.
Now, the mindset of voters of worst backward tribal area has appeared entire changed in new political atmosphere for the forthcoming election. The tribal area of DG Khan is 57 percent, 6,475 square km, of the total 11,294 square km of the district.
Four Punjab Assembly constituencies including PP-285, PP-286, PP-287 and PP-290, and three National Assembly constituencies including NA-189, NA-190 and NA-191 comprise tribal area, containing rural and urban localities.
The names of twelve contesting influential tribal lords are: Meer Badshah Khan Qaisrani (NA-189 & PP-285), Zulfiqar Ali Khan Khosa (NA-190), Irfanullah Khosa (NA-190 & NA-192), Amjad Farooq Khosa (NA-190), Awais Ahmed Khan Leghari (Na-191), Dost Muhammad Khan Khosa (NA-191 & PP-289), Umar Asghar Khan Khitran (PP-285), Usman Ahmed Khan Buzdar (PP-286), Javid Akhtar Khan Lund (PP-287), Mohsin Atta Khan Khosa (PP-287 & PP288), Ahmed Khan Leghari (PP-290) and Ahmed Ali Khan Dareshak (PP-290).
According to political observers, Khawajaz Sheraz Mehmood of PTI in NA-189 and PP-285, Khawaja M Nizamul Mehmood as independent candidate in PP-286, Usama Abdul Karim as independent candidate in PP-290, Ramzan Qadir of PPPP in PP-290 and Zartaj Gull Wazir of PTI in NA-191 have gained considerable popularity in the recent past against tribal lords. First time feudal lords are suffering hardship to keep their historical supremacy in the tribal constituencies because the PTI has made strong inroads in tribal areas.
Talking to The Nation, Line Officer Border Military Police (BMP) Najeebullah Khan Qaisrani shared details, saying that the total number of registered voters in tribal area were 100,6088 that include 57,302 male and 43,386 female voters.
He said that total polling stations were 117 with 234 combined (male & female) booths in tribal area.
Najeeb added that the polling stations of the tribal area had been divided into three categories; A, B and C. "Out of total 117 polling stations, 48 have been marked A (sensitive), 57 have been marked B (deemed Sensitive) and 12 have been marked C (normal)," he stated.
"All the polling stations have been divided into 14 sectors. Eight Jamadar (circle officer), four Dafadar, one Prosecuting Sub-Inspector and one Subedar Major (Baluch Levy Force) have been assigned to the duty of Sector In-charge," he added.
He said that the sector in-charge along with one Sarwar (constable) would supervise and maintain law and order situation at all polling stations. "To conduct fair and free election, four personnel of Pakistan Army and two personals of BMP will be deployed at each polling station," he added.