File photo of women lining up to caste their vote in the elections. PHOTO: RIAZ AHMED/EXPRESS
There were over 10,800 registered voters in the district and 91 polling stations with 233 polling booths were arranged for them. A total of 36 polling stations were declared highly sensitive while 55 were declared sensitive.
Women were stopped from casting their votes at the polling station in Garhi Shamozai. The seat was left vacant after Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) MPA Israrullah Gandapur was killed in a suicide attack on October 16.
The May 2013 elections and the by-elections that followed had also been marred by women being prevented from voting in K-P and FATA.
In particular, women voters had been prevented from casting their votes in Dera Ismail Khan, in the by-elections that took place in the Union Council Kari Shamuzi NA-25.
Grenade attack
Despite police contingents and army being deployed at all stations, unidentified men threw a hand grenade at a station near Kulachi, injuring two people.
The attackers also resorted to aerial firing and physically assaulted some members of the polling staff.
Earlier, DI Khan Commissioner Mushtaq Jadoon had said the upcoming by-elections in Kulachi may be targeted by terrorists.
COMMENTS (25)
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why people are allergic to burqa or hijab., Today they are objecting on it .tomorrow they will object on the dress. and suggest to wear tight dress like western women . still not satisfied they will insist on wearing more revealing dress .Burqa and hijjab gives sense of protection and safety,people have more respect and regard for such women in our society...
@John the Baptist:
I am so sorry their niqab bothered you. Would you rather see Pakistani women, including your sisters, sitting naked on a wrecking ball a la Mylie Cyrus, rasgullah sahib?
If by removing the Burqa they become 'naked' then does that mean that they are not wearing anytrhing else.
Its matter of perception a Muslim may view this as nice dress for a Muslim girl outside of house, the other lot see as symbol of oppression because thats what media feed them! I was in Hyde Park London, and there was an Arab family with one little girl who was wearing beautiful colorful hijab, for me she was looking very nice little muslim girl, and many white couple and families were passing by and making comments that how oppressive these muslims are.
so its just matter of perception, everyone has choice to wear what they want and taking account of culture they live in. Now these girls cant show their faces to newspaper camermen as part of their culture traditions and religion. ID cards shows they can show faces where its required by law or when they are in house or between friends.
@Muhammed Usama Aziz: Even earlier than that, people were living in cave. Now, they live in brick and cement based home with electricity and internet.
@John the Baptist: Anything is better than Penguin suit.
@ Ch Allah Daad Jealousy dont have boundaries
@Saad: so you believe that flaunting the bodies by woman is PROGRESS. ...its a shame that due to biased attitude towards anything related to Muslims you support the vulgarity in western society as a sign of progress.
Wome are not allowed to vote. Thank you Taliban Khan for a new dawn.
@Saaim: @saad: Some people always cite 'personal choice' when someone questions the practice of the niqab, but have no problem attacking them personal choice of someone having a drink.
Liberal trolls will always have a problem with women who wear burqa or hijab out of their own choice, but never have an issue with women who wear a bikini (and may even enjoy staring at one). One wonders what the logic behind their fallacy is. The very ones advocating women's "freedoms" and trying to portray themselves as anti-misogynists are actually misogynists themselves by trying to dictate women's choice of clothing and forcing their opinion on what women should wear towards women.
@rasgullah:
I am so sorry their niqab bothered you. Would you rather see Pakistani women, including your sisters, sitting naked on a wrecking ball a la Mylie Cyrus, rasgullah sahib?
@Saad: Fine, Maybe not all of them are forced but considerable amount of them are forced to wear it and that is a fact which is my personal and many of my friend's observation. The women who wears that willingly are programmed into thinking that that's best for them. and by not wearing that, They are committing some kind of sin.
Pakistan's national dress is completely modest and covers sufficiently. I don't understand the need of burka seriously.
Why is it sign of backwardness? Let me tell you why it is sign of backwardness. Give me one example ( real not fabricated ) where a woman observes full niqab and burka lifestyle has successful career and have social communication skills? How can anyone commit a business deal with a niqabi woman? a person you can't even see her face and make deals worth millions?. It shatters the confidence of women completely.
Face is the prime source of interaction. If it's hidden behind veil. how we are supposed to recognize who's who.
I will get back in moment for more.
Its better not to comment if one don't knw anything showing face is a requirement of ID card that's why its called ID card and what if i say liberal cult want Pakistan to turn into Europe. BOth end of extremists are a poison for Pakistan
@sidjeen: Lol I noticed that too! Why are people so worried what these women want to wear? Get over it seriously. The real news wasn't about how they are dressed. Back in 1950s and 1960s women in the lower classes in pakistan including one of my grandmother use to wear a black veil that covered her completely, all you would see is a person wearing a black sheet over them and then my other grandmother use to wear a simple Duputta and was more modern. It really is their own choice and they are not harming anyone. However I do agree it has a lot to do with society in some parts of Pakistan and family pressures on why women wear it but on top of that these women don't care if they have to cover their faces or not, it's just a peice of fabric for them. Now stop worrying and focus on real news.
@Saad: "They have already been forced to wear either by their father, mother, husbands or society aunties."
This is not the case.Most of the women in my family wear burqa and they're not forced to wear it. I feel sorry for people like you who think Niqab or burqa is a sign of backwardness . Its a woman's choice whether she wants to cover herself or not. It pains me as well when I see muslim brothers degrading muslim women for wearing burqa.Women all around the world wear it. My two sisters wear burqa both of them live abroad and even the people there respect their decision.
Saad: Your comment shows outrage of an ignorant mind, what do you think is wrong with burqa or niqab? Burqa/niqab/hijab lover Erdogan made turkey progress at an unprecedented rate in a few years which burqa hater Ataturk and his followers couldn't do in nearly a century.
Wearing niqab or burka is a personal choice as well as a cultural thing.............so how can you people comment for sure that it was forced by someone else...........it is not understandable........
@Eddied: @rasgullah: @Saad: Burkha is a way of observing purdah. During the early period of Islam, Women usually wore long chadars. Now, they wear burkah as it is more convenient to cover the body. It has nothing do to with arab culture. It just shows your arrogance to the difference between Islamic rituals and Arab culture.
@Saad: Do you have comprehension problems? i'm just commentating. not dictating or forcing them. They have already been forced to wear either by their father, mother, husbands or society aunties.
It pains me when i see my beautiful country of Pakistan being turned into Al-Bakistan by these people.
@Saad Burqa aur Hijaab unka masla hai tmhara nahin. You should not dictate them.
Voting is their RIGHT whoever is stopping them is no different than Mr.Saad who is also trying to interfere in their personal choice/matters...
I think the picture is very revealing....look at the ID pictures of the girls showing their faces...but then they cover their faces to go through checkpoint?...this is indicative of the clash between old Arab culture of hiding women and modern culture of freedom of expression...
lol @ the niqab when their ID cards clearly show their pictures. :)
Burkas and Niqab. Is this culturally rich colorful Pakistan or some desert arab country
Pakistan's dream of turning into an Arab country is coming true.