Women are an active part of the citizenry
KARACHI: The participation of women in the recent LG re-polls in Lower Dir in significant numbers is a step in the right direction, especially when the next general elections are around the corner. Unfortunately, women in the country are kept away from voting or when they do they are forced to vote for political parties their spouses want them to. While the latter is harder to change, it is commendable that the Election Commission of Pakistan has bound political parties to ensure that at least 10 per cent women participation is recorded during polls.
Women are an active part of the citizenry and it is important to give them their due electoral rights to participate in elections, as they are also equally affected by a particular party’s mandate. This victory for women of the Lower Dir will hopefully be repeated in all other parts of the country as well during the general elections this year.
Raheel Jha
Published in The Express Tribune, February 23rd, 2018.
Like Opinion & Editorial on Facebook, follow @ETOpEd on Twitter to receive all updates on all our daily pieces.
