BAJAUR: Women turnout in the Feb 8, 2024 elections remained low as a percentage of the total female registered voters in Bajaur tribal district compared to the 2018 elections, Dawn learnt on Sunday.

According to the election results based on the analysis of the Form 47, in all the three provincial assembly constituencies – PK-19, PK-20 and PK-21 – 54,721 women of the total 222,584 registered female voters exercised their right to vote on Feb 8.

In the 2018 elections, 54,535 women of the total 133,558 registered female voters had exercised their right to franchise in the then two National Assembly constituencies – NA-40 and NA-41.

The highest number of women votes on Feb 8 was recorded in PK-19, where 23,626 women out of total 83,511 registered voters cast their ballots.

Similarly, 17,021 women of 65,945 registered voters exercised their right of vote in PK-20. In PK-21, 14,074 women of 73,128 registered voters participated in the voting process.

The election results show the turnout of women voters in the three constituencies stood at 24.58 per cent compared to 29.40pc of male voters.

Similarly, in 2013 elections, only 2,800 women of the total 133,627 female registered voters had used their right to vote in the region’s two National Assembly constituencies (then NA-43 and NA-44).

An official of the local election commission office and leaders of political parties confirmed to Dawn on Sunday that the number of women voters in the district’s three provincial assembly constituencies remained lower than the 2018 elections as a percentage of the total registered female voters.

However, the ECP official said it was heartening to note that women were increasingly participating in the electoral process in a conservative region like Bajaur. The official said it was good to see that men visited polling stations along with their women to cast their ballots.

Meanwhile, leaders of political parties told Dawn that they focused on increasing women participation in the electoral process during their election campaign. They said that it was a matter of satisfaction that women were increasingly participating in the electoral process.

They said robust participation of women in the Feb 8 elections reflected a positive change in people’s attitude towards women.

Published in Dawn, February 19th, 2024