It is elating to see women voters being registered in the region in significant numbers
LAHORE: According to the fresh enlistment of voters by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), there are 17.5 million registered voters in K-P and Fata, out of which 6.549 million female voters are from K-P and 0.910 million from Fata. It is elating to see women voters being registered in the region in significant numbers. However, the task for ECP is not limited to enlistment only.
It should also ensure that the women in the region must also not been barred from exercising their right to vote in the general polls, as previously such news of women not being allowed to vote at the behest of conservative political groups and tribal leaders of the region have been a common occurrence. As it was reported only two days ago, on March 30th, that women in the Upper Dir region of K-P voted after four decades in the local government by-elections, there is still a lot that needs to be done to bring the necessary social change via change of political discourse. The provincial government too should put laws into effect to ensure that following the precedents of the past, no agreement between local political and extremist factions is made to stop women from voting.
Hiba Ali
Published in The Express Tribune, April 1st, 2018.
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