PESHAWAR, Aug 29: Women voters of the Katozai union council in the Shabqadar tehsil of Charsadda district on Monday staged a protest demonstration against barring women from casting votes in the local council elections.

They criticized local politicians and elders who, in several parts of the NWFP, kept women out of the electoral process.

The enraged women who, do not belong to any political party or NGOs, came in hired vehicles and staged protest demonstration in front of Peshawar Press Club.

The women were led by newly-elected women councillors Hameeda Begum and Mrs Bashir. They were chanting slogans against local elders who did not allow them to cast their votes.

They were also chanting slogans against the Election Commission for not taking seriously the issue depriving half of the population of their democratic right to vote.

The protesters demanded of the Election Commission to nullify the elections of those union councils where women were barred from casting vote and fresh elections be held there.

They also urged of the government to take legal action against people who were active in organizing jirgas which decided to bar women from taking part in the election process.