PESHAWAR: Provincial election commissioner Pir Maqbool Ahmad on Wednesday said the Election Commission of Pakistan was striving to increase voter turnout, especially women’s, in elections.

“It is the duty of all eligible people to fulfil the national obligation of casting vote in elections,” he told a function at the University of Peshawar.

The event was organised by the Students Volunteer Group of the Geography Department, where certificates were also distributed to students.

The PEC said academia and students could play an effective role in the people’s vote awareness. He said besides voter registration, the casting of vote was also essential to establish a true and sustainable democratic system.

Mr Ahmad said the ECP was committed to ensuring the participation of all eligible voters, especially women, in the electoral process. He said all stakeholders should join hands to increase the turnout of women voters in elections. The PEC appreciated volunteers for creating vote awareness.

He said commendation certificates would be given away to students on completion of a training programme in educational institutions of the provincial capital.

Earlier, director of gender affairs at the Provincial Election Commission Haroon Khan Shinwari highlighted the significance of vote and shared details of the one-year long drive for creating awareness about it among the people, especially students.

He said the ECP would keep a close liaison with civil society organisations and educated people to ensure the participation of women and special persons in the elections.

Department head Dr Ifat Tabassum promised complete support for the ECP campaign to enhance vote awareness among students.

Published in Dawn, October 17th, 2019