ISLAMABAD, Aug 10: An organisation of female councillors based in Dir district of NWFP has alleged that their male counterparts are ignoring them both in the decision-making process and financial matters.

Speaking at a news conference here on Friday, councillors Nisar Begum, member of the Tehsil Council Timargarah; Samina Siddiqui, president of the Women Councillors Network, Potohar district; and Rubina Tehsin urged the government to intervene into the matter and ensure that they were given their due rights.

They said if a woman councillor tried to attend meetings in Dir district, the nazim and naib nazim forced her to sit in a separate room, adding that women councillors were kept in the dark on matters relating to development of the area and annual development fund. The councillors said their male counterparts did not give consideration to schemes proposed by them. They asked the National Reconstruction Bureau and the Election Commission of Pakistan to take notice of the situation.