TIMERGARA/KARAK: Women of Lower Dir are unlikely to cast their votes in the local government elections being held today (Saturday), as most of the polling booths for them have been set up at the joint polling stations.

During visits to polling stations in different parts of Lower Dir on Friday, it was noted that majority of polling staff had set up separate polling booths for women voters at the polling stations.

Stickers have been displayed on doors of the rooms reading “polling booth for women”. Talking to this correspondent, political activists at Gadar, Adam Dherai, Talash, Bandagai and Balambat said that they would not like to bring women of their families to the joint polling stations.

They said that it was against Pakhtun traditions that men and women gather at the same place. A returning officer requesting not to be named said that he could not take the risk to set up separate polling stations for women in his jurisdiction.

He, however, said that the presiding officers had strictly been directed to provide environment conducive to the women voters. “I don’t see women coming out for voting in a large number,” he said.

The election staff at one of the polling stations in Adenzai had displayed a poster in front of the station, stating that separate polling booths had been set up and women could cast votes easily.

Despite efforts by the civil society it seems women would not exercise their right to vote in the today’s elections. Though the political leadership in the district has given a green signal to women to cast vote, they too seem least bothered to ensure women’s participation.

In Karak, the candidates of union council Isak Chountra have decided to make arrangements for women to cast their votes. The candidates for the district council and tehsil council have reached a consensus that the women of the union council Isak Chountra would poll their votes.

Women of this union council had not polled votes in the last few elections. However, in the 2013 general election some women of the union council participated in the election process. As such, it would be for the first time that women in this union council would cast vote in the local government elections.

Published in Dawn, May 30th, 2015

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