MINGORA: A jirga is active in Odigram area of Swat valley to convince elders to stop women voters from participating in the May 30 local body elections in the name of conservative customs.

This is not the first time that women are being disenfranchised.

During the 2013 general elections, not one a single woman of the area cast vote in line with the agreements made by local elders and candidates.

The jirga met at the main mosque of Khawjakhel area on Monday and Tuesday night after Isha prayer to convince local elders to stop women from stepping out to cast vote in the imminent local body polls.

However, majority of the people have yet to give their word to the jirga on the women disenfranchisement plan.

“Most contestants have consented to the jirga’s idea,” said Babar Ali, who attended the two meetings.

PTI candidate Yousaf Jan, who was also in attendance, said though jirga members discussed the proposed ‘ban’ on women voters, they didn’t reach an agreement.

“The jirga will hold further discussions on the matter in the days ahead,” he said.

Local people said they were bound by local conservative customs to follow the jirga’s decisions.

“Though I was not present in the jirga, it is clear that we’ll not accept the jirga decision if it’s about ban on women voters,” local JUI-F leader Habib Ali Shah said.

He acknowledged that hurdles were being created for women to stop them from voting in the past. There are also unconfirmed reports about elders and candidates in parts of Amankot union council agreeing to stopping women from casting vote in the imminent local body polls.

When contacted, assistant commissioner Ashfaq Khan said strict action would be taken against those disenfranchising women.

“Nobody can forbid women from casting vote. We are examining the situation and will act against violators of election law,” he said.

Lately, the parliamentary committee on electoral reforms has recommended that the Election Commission of Pakistan declare election results invalid if turnout of women voters is less than 10 percent.

Published in Dawn, May 28th, 2015

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