PESHAWAR, April 22: About 4,000 local council seats, reserved for women, have been lying vacant across the country since the local government elections held last year.

A total of 40,049 seats are reserved for women in local governments, but only 36,049 of these seats were filled in the elections.

According to a report compiled by the Aurat Foundation, which had launched a Citizens Campaign for Women Representation, participation of women in the election was lower in the NWFP than in any other province.

Faryal Talpur and Nafeesa Shah were elected in the province as district Nazims and 13 others Union Council Nazims while there was only one woman was elected as Tehsil Nazim.

The Aurat Foundation report highlights the problems being faced by the women councillors.