Transgender community feels excluded from local govt polls

Provincial election commission holds session on inclusive electoral process

KARACHI:

As the local government elections are approaching the fast, the transgender community once again cried foul that they have not been given the identity cards to take part in electoral process.

"Despite the government assurances, the National Database Registration Authority (NADRA) does not issue us cards," said Aradhilya Khan, transgender activist who was representing her community during a dailouge with media and civil society persons at local hotel.

The event was organised by Election Commission of Pakistan inviting the media, civil society in order to educate and motivate masses including women, trangernders, minorities and persons with disabilities regarding the electoral process and their active participation.

As the session started, the provincial election commissioner, Aijaz Ahmed Chohan, briefed the audience about the role of the election commission in holding the local government polls and said, "It is our constitutional responsibility to hold free and fair elections."

Referring to Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan's directives, he said that election commission would make all the arrangements without any discrimination providing equal chances to candidates belonging to all parties and groups.

"Women play an important role in society. Similarly, the seats are reserved for minorities and also for the people who are transgender," he said, adding that the election commission has formed a voter education committee in each district to enhance the voter registration of women.

He was of the view that mobile vans of NADRA were also sent in different far flung areas including Tharparkar for the registration of votes.

"There has been a significant increase in women's vote registration in the Tharparkar area," he said. Quratul Ain Fatima, Director, MCO, Election commission informed the audience about the objectives of the event and said, "The purpose of the event is to educate different segments of society with the help of you people."