PESHAWAR: Speakers at various functions held in connection with the National Voters’ Day in parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Wednesday said that the citizens should use their right to vote responsibly as the future decisions and progress of the country depended on it.

In Peshawar, Provincial Election Commissioner Shamshad Khan said that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) was making efforts for registration of more and more female voters to reduce the gender-based difference in the number of male and female voters in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Speaking at a function held in connecting with the National Voters’ Day, Mr Khan said that the number of registered male voters in the province stood at 11.436 million and female voters 9.38 million, according to a statement issued here.

The function was also attended by chief secretary Shehzad Bangash, IGP Moazzam Jah Ansari, Peshawar commissioner Riaz Mehsud and senior officials of the commission and provincial government.

People asked to exercise right to vote responsibly

He said that different functions were held in parts of the province to raise awareness of the importance of the vote and to increase the turnout ratio in the next elections.

“In the previous general elections, turnout was recorded at 44 per cent which could be increased,” he said, adding a survey had been completed about the facilities available at the polling stations.

In Lower Dir, the Election Commission of Pakistan and the district administration jointly arranged a function at the District Assembly Hall in Balambat to mark the voters’ day.

Additional deputy commissioner Abdul Wali Khan and district election commissioner Mohammad Iqbal said that every eligible citizen had the right to vote according to their will.

In Khyber district, over 7,000 more women than men registered themselves in the voters list during the ongoing registration process.

Official figures shared during a function in Jamrud said the total number of female registered voters was 214,314 prior to the 2018 general elections, which had now gone up to 275,016.

Officials said the total number of male voters had increased from 277,530 in 2018 to 330,633.

They said a total of 113,799 new voters, both male and female, were registered so far, hoping that the number would go up during the coming months.

In Lakki Marwat, students of the Government Postgraduate College said at a seminar that all eligible voters should cast their vote in elections as a national obligation.

Additional AC Ishaq Ali Khan, district election commissioner Nasrullah Khan and others

spoke on the occasion and held a walk to highlight importance of the vote.

In Shangla, district election commissioner Inayatur Rehman asked the people to contact his office or AROs’ offices for registration and transfer of their vote.

In Bajaur, the district election commission arranged a seminar at the Government Postgraduate College, Khar, which was followed by a walk to create awareness of the importance of vote.

Published in Dawn, December 8th, 2022