Islamic Parties Suffer in Pakistan’s Federal and Regional Elections

Posted February 20, 2008

Here’s one thing to cheer: The fundamentalist ruling party of the North-West Frontier Province—Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) of the Pakistan frontier region—suffered a huge defeat in Pakistan’s elections earlier this week. 

The shift from MMA-rule to the Awami National Party (ANP) may bring considerable changes to Pakistan’s anti-terror policies, particularly the purpose of Al Qaeda members. 

From The Times of India: 

The Red Caps are back in the Frontier. In a remarkable display of resilience and commitment to its secular values, the Awami National Party (ANP), which bore the brunt of suicide bombers in the run up to the elections in the country’s most volatile province bordering Afghanistan, swept to power in NWFP on Tuesday as it completely decimated Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) in its stronghold.

So powerful was the Pashtun nationalist party’s resurgence that the MMA affiliate, Maulana Fazlur Rehman of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islami, lost his own seat in his hometown of Dera Ismail Khan, despite the fact that women were stoped from voting in many parts of the province.

To add insult to injury, the Islamic party also lost votes and seats in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), dubbed by some as the nursery of Islamic fundamentalism.   

2 Comments so far

  1. Plotinus on February 21, 2008

    Do you think the election will really make any difference? Musharraf isn’t ceding any ground.

  2. Neel on February 22, 2008

    British and American diplomats are working overtime for an arrangement, where the ruling coalition in Pakistan would accept and allow Musharraf to continue as the President. But that is not likely to happen, and that should not happen !!
    The illegaly deposed Chief Justice of SC is going to be restored to his position soon, and once that is accomplished fate of Musharraf would be taken to a logical conclusion, through judiciary and executive powers !!
    The British and the Americans have no choice but to deal with the elected representatives, and time has come for them to get rid of their old habit of manipulation through puppet dictators.

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