LAHORE: Although serious violence was not reported in the second phase of local government elections in Sindh and Punjab on Thursday and voter turnout was good, women faced difficulties at a number of places in asserting their right to franchise, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) said in a statement.

The HRCP — which observed the local government elections in selected districts in both provinces — further said: “Women and non-Muslim voters generally turned up in large numbers to cast their votes in 14 districts of Sindh and 12 of Punjab where polls were held on Thursday.

“In one union council in Sargodha district and one in Toba Tek Singh districts, women voters were barred from voting, apparently following agreements among the candidates. Despite a Jirga decision in Mianwali, women there were able to exercise their right to franchise, though in small numbers, after civil society activists drew attention of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) towards this bid to keep women from voting,” the commission said.

It added that physically challenged and transgender citizens also exercised their right to vote, although in this phase also, proper arrangements to facilitate the former were conspicuous by their absence.

“Polling was generally peaceful and no fatality was reported in poll-related violence until the voting time ended. However, several clashes between supporters of rival candidates and political parties, use of firearms and some instances of violence against policemen by candidates’ supporters were reported. Theft of unused ballot papers and misprinting of election symbols on ballot papers in a few constituencies in Sindh led to postponement of polling there,” the commission concluded.

Published in Dawn, November 20th, 2015