KOHAT: The district office of the Election Commission of Pakistan and Awaz programme of Aurat Foundation has said that women voters’ registration above 40 per cent benchmark has been completed in most of 65 blocks in settled areas and 54 blocks of tribal area here through Nadra mobile exercise.

Addressing a press conference at Kohat Press Club on Thursday, district election commissioner Shahabuddin and Awaz programme coordinator Sarmad Rasheed said that registration of women voters in eight union councils of Kohat was in progress.

They regretted that majority of local people were not aware of the importance of vote and the number of women voters was very low compared to data available with Nadra.

The election commission had set a benchmark of women voters’ registration at just above 40 per cent. They said that there were 27 union councils in Kohat district with 65 voters’ blocks and 44 union councils with 54 blocks in Frontier Region. The function was also attended by regional election commissioner Mohammad Tariq.

Mr Shahab said that mobile service had been used by Nadra to make the identity cards of women and facilitate their registration as voters.

Meanwhile, the directorate of malaria control, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, handed over seven microscopes to the district health officer for providing free test facility to the people.

In this regard, a function was held at the DHO office. The microscopes would be given to hospitals in the city and rural areas of the district.

KILLED: A mineworker was buried alive when a gypsum mine collapsed in Mohsinkhel area of Lachi on Thursday.

Eyewitnesses told the police that one Gul Zada, resident of Takht Lachi, was working in the mine when it collapsed and he was buried alive. Laal Zada, son of the victim, reported the incident to the police who have started investigations.

In another incident, a man allegedly killed his wife in Marai Bala on Thursday.

Ustarzai police said that one Ikram Ali had a quarrel with his wife and shot her dead. The police have registered the case.

Published in Dawn, August 18th, 2017