LANDI KOTAL: Elections in any constituency in Fata during the coming general elections will be declared null and void like rest of the country if turnout of women voters remains below 10 per cent of the total number of registered female voters, says spokespersons for Election Commission of Pakistan Haroon Shinwari.

He told this scribe that ECP would not succumb to any pressure from the so-called jirga or any political party or an organisation in that regard.

“As per the new Elections Act 2017 if we receive any compliant about the number of cast votes below 10 per cent of the total number of female votes in any constituency or any polling station, we will immediately declare the elections as null and void and will arrange for re-poling,” he said.

Mr Shinwari said that tribal elders, political parties and civil society organisations should play an active role in registering maximum number of eligible women voters alongside making efforts to encourage tribal women to exercise their right to vote in the next general elections.

“This time, the concerned or aggrieved parties will not get any relief from high courts as only the Supreme Court of Pakistan is now authorised to receive or accept complaint against any rule of ECP,” he said.

Mr Shinwari said that that repeated requests to political parties and organisations in Fata about approaching the tribal population for registration of votes had so far fallen on deaf ears.

He appealed tribal people to ensure their presence inside their homes during the December campaign for registration of votes along with timely acquisition of their Computerised National Identity Cards as anyone without a CNIC could not be registered as voter in any part of the country.

“Women in particular in tribal areas do not have their CNICs and it is imperative that male members of every family ensure acquisitions of CNICs for their women relatives so as to enhance the number of female voters in Fata,” he added.

Published in Dawn, November 23rd, 2017