As no action was taken against these parties at that time, the same was repeated this time around
JUBAIL, SAUDI ARABIA: Up to 47,000 women voters were not allowed to cast their votes in a Lower Dir (provincial assembly) constituency on May 7. Now condemnations are pouring in on social media from all quarters questioning this systematic rigging to deprive thousands of women of a right guaranteed by the Constitution of Pakistan. But what’s the use of all these condemnations?
This is not the first time such a thing has happened. During the 2013 elections, women were banned from casting their votes in Lower and Upper Dir and Malakand under written (and verbal) agreements signed by representatives of all the political parties.
Last time, the PK-95 seat was won by the Amir of the Jamaat-e-Islami, Sirajul Haq, who justified barring women from voting under the pretext of poor security. He was afraid that suicide bombers may attack polling stations disguised as women. Obviously this was a lame excuse but regrettably, the Election Commission of Pakistan failed to take any notice of this blatant violation of the country’s Constitution and basic human rights. As no action was taken against these parties at that time, the same was repeated this time around.
Around half the population of the PK-95 constituency was forcibly stopped from casting its vote because of verbal and written agreements and jirga orders. It is time to expose the real faces of all those political parties, which become champions of women rights while operating in urban areas, but act in a completely different manner elsewhere. What becomes of their cause where it is needed the most? It is time for the ECP to wake up!
Masood Khan
Published in The Express Tribune, May 10th, 2015.
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