MANSEHRA: NGO Sungi Development Foundation has said it is facilitating the registration of women in the conservative Torghar district as voters.

“Majority of Torghar women haven’t registered themselves with the Election Commission of Pakistan as voters, so we, in collaboration with NGO Free and Fair Election Network, are facilitating their registration as voters,” Sungi Development Foundation regional coordinator Shahid Aziz told the concluding session of a two-day media workshop here on Tuesday.

Reporters from Torghar attended the event, which focused on how to report on coronavirus pandemic and women’s issues.

Mr Aziz regretted that the women’s literacy rate in Torghar was eight to 10 per cent and that they’re without right to vote.

NGO says it’s facilitating women for the purpose

He said in the past, those women weren’t allowed to cast vote.

“Sungi Development Foundation with its partners is now making all-out efforts to facilitate the registration of Torghar women as voters,” he said.

The NGO’s coordinator said the workshop was part of the organisation’s strategy to sensitise women and their male family members to their voting rights to play an active role in politics.

He said the project was also meant to introduce more inclusive, transparent and responsive democratic processes and institutions to tackle Covid-19 pandemic and associated challenges.

Mr Aziz said his organisation was helping women get an access to development process.

Meanwhile, former chairman of the Journalism Department in two government universities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Prof Syed Shaukat Ali died of coronavirus here on Tuesday.

He was admitted to the Combined Military Hospital, Abbottabad, last week after being diagnosed with Covid-19.

His funeral prayer will be offered in native Paras area of Kaghan valley today (Wednesday).

Published in Dawn, December 23rd, 2020