Embassy involved in secret op to raise number of Muslims in Constituent Assembly
Pakistanhas launched a secret operation to increase the presence of Muslim members in the 601-member Constituent Assembly of Nepal, which is going to poll on November 19. The election is expected to end the political crisis that has plagued Nepal since the dissolution of the first Constituent Assembly in May last year.
Intelligence sources and reports from Kathmandu said that Pakistan was financing Muslim candidates across party lines through its embassy in Kathmandu. The plan is to take the number of Muslim representatives in the Constituent Assembly from 25 to 40, sources said. In providing financial assistance to the Muslim candidates, sources pointed out, Zafar Iftikhar, a Pakistani diplomat, is being helped by influential Muslim leaders like Dr Moazzam and Nazrul Hasan Falahi (both from Islamic Sangh, Nepal) and Taj Mohammad Miyan, who heads the Nepal Muslim Mahasangh.
These Muslim candidates belong to different political parties and are contesting the Constituent Assembly elections under first-past-the-post system. Reports have named at least 12 candidates who have been already provided the first installment of financial assistance by Pakistan.
They are Razi Haider Khan, Javed Khan, Haider Ali, Abdul Hasan Nuri Maqsul Ali, all from UCPN (Maoist), Dr Qamrul Hoda, Tajammul Mansuri and Afsaq Sheikh (all from Rashtriya Madhesh Samajwadi Party), Dr Abdul Kalam Azad (CPN-UMl), Mirza Arshad Beg of Sadbhavana Party, and Dr Abdul Hussain Ansari of Terai Madheshi loktantrik party.
In addition, Pakistan is also funding independent candidates with winning potential. Athar Kamal, who is contesting from Kapilvastsu-5, is one such candidate.
Source said that Pakistan is providing Rs 4.5 to Rs 5 lakh in Nepalese currency to these Muslim candidates. In the first installment, 11 out of the 12 candidates have been given Nepalese Rs 1.5 lakh. Afsaq Sheikh has received Rs 3 lakh. In the second installment, Nepalese Rs 3 lakh is expected to be provided to each of the Muslim candidates in the fray.
Nazma Khatun, who entered the fray after the killing of her husband Mahmud Alam, a CPN-UMl candidate, has also reportedly received financial help from the Pakistani Embassy.
Sources said that apart from the candidates, the Pakistan embassy is also providing funds to local Muslim youths and small-time leaders to mobilise support for these candidates.
The Constituent Assembly election has been repeatedly delayed. last time, it was scheduled to be held on November 22, 2012, following the dissolution of the Constituent Assembly on May 27, 2012, but it was put off by the Election Commission of Nepal.
The Nepal Government has declared a four-day holiday to ensure smooth polling. More than 120 political parties and thousands of candidates are contesting for a berth in the 601-seat Constituent Assembly. The holiday has started from November 16 to foil any attempt to disrupt the polling process.
Meanwhile, security along the Indo-Nepal border has been stepped up ahead of the polls to avert any disturbances. The border is expected to be sealed ahead of the election.