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The ANP was the target of a suicide bombing claimed by the Pakistani Taliban at a rally in Peshawar, July 11, 2018. REUTERS / Fayaz Aziz
In the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which has long served as a stronghold for the Taliban, a left-wing secular and anti-capitalist party, the Awami National Party (ANP), is rising in the polls. But two attacks in recent weeks are raising fears about the participation of the Pashtun people, the majority in the province, in the general elections of 25 July.
With our correspondent in Peshawar, Solène Fioriti
He will have changed the venue three times in one day. At 68, Syed Aqil Shah, parliamentary candidate for Peshawar, is very cautious. In the last elections, 600 members of his party were killed in attacks claimed by the Taliban. In question, the progressive values of this Pashtun party, an ethnic group shared by the majority of terrorists.
" All men born in this world, whatever their races, their religions, or their sexes, all are equal. And Allah does not exist only for Muslims, it is for all men on this earth, this is secularism, "said Syed Aqil Shah.
From 2008 to 2013, the PNA governed the province. During this period, he had eight universities built. It is in the middle of a debate on education that a bomb exploded right here at an election rally on July 11, killing 20 activists.
As five years earlier, it is possible that the effects of the attack dissuade the ANP supporters from voting. " Our heart is bleeding, we are just crying. We are too afraid to vote, we are no longer able, "says Merza Gul, who lost six members of his family in the blast.
But despite the fear, the red posters of the ANP remain ubiquitous on the walls of Peshawar. Like those of the party of Imran Khan, given great favor of these Pakistani elections.