SWABI: The Aurat Foundation, a Peshawar-based women rights group, and the district committee on status of woman (DCSW), have demanded of the Election Commission of Pakistan to bar those political parties from contesting the general elections who violated the election law binding them to award five per cent electoral tickets to women.

Speaking at a press conference here on Tuesday, DCSW chairperson Khandana Naeem, district social welfare officer Alamgir Khan and foundation’s programme officer Asad Ali said the parties which violated the section 206 of Election Act, 2017 and failed to award five per cent tickets to women should be barred from participating in the July 25 elections.

They said it was for the first time that a special provision about women ticket was added to the election laws to bind the parties to encourage women participation in polls. They said it was responsibility of the parties to award five per cent tickets to women.

They said it was not good omen that a number of political parties had failed to award the required percentage of tickets to women.

Replying a question, they said their main task was to inspire the women and educate them about their right to vote. To make the entire exercise of election more effective and result-oriented women participation in the polls without fear or pressure is extremely important, said Khandana Naeem.

Mr Alamgir said a campaign was going to be launched to help enhance women role and their contribution to the election process.

Published in Dawn, July 11th, 2018