The merged districts of the erstwhile Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) are on the brink of another pivotal moment as the upcoming general elections approach on February 8. A historic development for these regions is the simultaneous conduct of polling for both National Assembly and provincial legislature seats, a first in their electoral history.

In 2019, these districts achieved a significant milestone when 16 seats in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Assembly were contested for the first time after their amalgamation with the province. These provincial assembly elections took place on July 18, 2019, a year after the general polls held on July 25, 2018.

It’s noteworthy that Bajaur, which had two National Assembly seats in the 2018 general elections, now has one seat following last year’s constituency delimitation.

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The 2019 provincial polls saw independent candidates dominating with six seats, followed by the PTI with five. JUI-F secured three seats, while ANP and Jamat-e-Islami (JI) each won one seat. Three independent candidates later joined the Balochistan Awami Party (BAP), forming a new parliamentary party.

In terms of reserved seats, the PTI secured two of the four reserved seats for women, while JUI-F and BAP each acquired one. The lone reserved seat for minorities was also won by the PTI.

The winners in the 2019 polls included candidates from various parties and independents representing Bajaur, Mohmand, Khyber, Kurram, Orakzai, North Waziristan, South Waziristan, and the Ex-Frontier Regions.As the February 8 elections draw near, the merged districts are set for another significant chapter in their political journey, marking a noteworthy milestone in the democratic history of the region.