On July 20, for the first time ever, residents of the erstwhile Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) would head to the polls to elect their representatives in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assembly.
The election will be held in 16 constituencies of the tribal belt. Here is a profile of each, with its population, electorate and the main problems in each constituency:
PK 100 Bajaur
Population: 351,555
Male voters: 94,937
Female voters: 61,300
Total voters: 156,237
Main problems of the constituency: Poor infrastructure and lack of teachers at educational institutes.
PK 101 Bajaur
Population: 348,386
Male voters: 92,390
Female voters: 65,097
Total voters: 157,487
Main problems of the constituency: Lack of basic health facilities.
PK 102 Bajaur
Population: 393,743
Male voters: 125,358
Female voters: 91,361
Total voters: 216,719
Main problems of the constituency: There are areas where there is no electricity. Damaged telephone and power lines have yet to be repaired.
PK 103 Mohmand
Population: 243,426
Male voters: 68,472
Female voters: 42,008
Total voters: 110,480
Main problems of the constituency: Basic health care services not available. There is not a single public school for girls in the area.
PK 104 Mohmand
Population: 228,931
Male voters: 106,746
Female voters: 63,273
Total voters: 170,022
Main problems of the constituency: The local people have to travel long distances to get clean drinking water.
PK 105 Khyber
Population: 314,569
Male voters: 94,514
Female voters: 72,970
Total voters: 167,484
Main problems of the constituency: Lack of facilities for clean drinking water.
PK 106 Khyber
Population: 348,756
Male voters: 82,818
Female voters: 65,652
Total voters: 148,470
Main problems of the constituency: Homes get electricity for only one hour in a day. Then, there are areas in the constituency which do no get electricity for months.
PK 107 Khyber
Population: 323,648
Male voters: 123,683
Female voters: 92,450
Total voters: 216,133
Main problems of the constituency: Schools and basic health facilities destroyed by terrorists in the area have yet to be repaired.
PK 108 Kurram
Population: 339,247
Male voters: 99,534
Female voters: 73,363
Total voters: 172,897
Main problems of the constituency: Schools damaged by terrorists remain vacant and unrepaired. There are also no hospitals in the area, which is why patients need to travel to a nearby city for care. Some die on the way to the hospital.
PK 109 Kurram
Population: 280,306
Male voters: 105,284
Female voters: 82,560
Total voters: 187,844
Main problems of the constituency: The largest hospital here is the DHQ Parachinar, which also treats patients from Afghanistan. Yet, 64 posts of doctors and paramedical staff remain vacant.
PK 110 Orakzai
Population: 254,356
Male voters: 110,741
Female voters: 85,695
Total voters: 196,436
Main problems of the constituency: There is not a single specialised doctor in the constituency.
PK 111 North Waziristan
Population: 271,057
Male voters: 92,845
Female voters: 48,208
Total voters: 141,053
Main problems of the constituency: High unemployment.
PK 112 North Waziristan
Population: 272,197
Male voters: 117,811
Female voters: 61,313
Total voters: 179,124
Main problems of the constituency: Lack of clean drinking water facilities.
PK 113 South Waziristan
Population: 321,077
Male voters: 122,197
Female voters: 96,638
Total voters: 218,835
Main problems of the constituency: Homes damaged during the military operation against terrorists in the area have not been reconstructed.
PK 114 South Waziristan
Population: 352,988
Male voters: 115,572
Female voters: 52,422
Total voters: 167,994
Main problems of the constituency: Lack of basic healthcare facilities, and shortage of teachers at educational institutes.
PK 115 ex-Frontier Region
Male voters: 116,444
Female voters: 74,618
Total voters: 191,062
Main problems of the constituency: Lack of clean drinking water