PESHAWAR, May 11: Despite threats of violence, women voters came out in droves, in many areas for the first time, to exercise their right to vote on Saturday.
Neither pre-poll violence nor household responsibilities could constrain women voters who unlike past were quite visible on the polling day in both rural and urban areas.
“I am voting with a hope that our new government would stop these bombings and my children will have a safe future,” said 26-year old Iram, who had come along with her infant to a polling station at Pishtakhara to poll vote for the first time.
Women in rural areas also enthusiastically voted for their favourite candidates. Though some uneducated women had trouble understanding the polling procedure, they did not give up.
“My sons used to tell me not to go through all the hassle, but I am voting for the first time because I want to vote for a candidate who would provide us electricity and Sui gas,” said 50-year old Niaz Bibi, sweating in her burqa (veil) at the sole women polling station in Shah Alam Mala Khan tehsil of Nahaqai of PK-9 (NA-3) constituency in Peshawar.
It was interesting to know that most of the women were voting for the first time.
Sobia, a young woman who polled her vote, said that most of the women in her village were motivated to vote because they
were happy with the Benazir Income Support Scheme. Others thought it was the natural gas facility, which made them realise the power of vote to elect a government of their choice.
In conservative suburb areas of Peshawar like Gaga Wala, Salmankhel and Shahabkhel (Badbher) women voted for the first time.
Even in sensitive areas of Peshawar like Sheikh Mohammadi where women were barred from voting under an agreement during previous election, the female voters this time seemed charged to elect candidates of their choice.
“We want to vote because it is our right to elect government of our choice for next five years,” said Rozeena, who had come with
her three children and an ailing mother.
Surprisingly, both elderly and young women who had come to poll their vote said they were neither influenced nor stopped by the male members of their family.
“Security issues cannot stop us from exercising our right,” smilingly said Taj Bibi, an elderly lady from Nawa Kallay.
However, in some parts the conservative traditions and verbal agreements by political figures were cited as a reason for depriving women from voting.
“In Lower Dir, announcement was made that if women cast vote their fingers would be cut,” claimed Saima Munir, a rights activist associated with Aurat Foundation.
Later in a press release, Aurat Foundation said that in Och area of Dir, only one vote of female was polled till midday. The female voter who cast the first vote was Nuzhat Bibi, who is contesting for the first time on general seat. It said that women were not
allowed to vote in PK-89 (Buner) at some polling stations. In Nowshera’s Choki Mamraiz’s 12 polling stations women did not cast vote. In Malakand’s Hero Shah Qalah and Naray Obo villages women stayed away from voting. In Mardan’s Katlang, PK-57, Haji
Dherai and Kotakai, women were barred from voting, allegedly by local people. In Dera Ismail Khan’s Garah Esakhel and Kote Musa women did not vote too.
The foundation is monitoring the situation concerning barring of women from polling vote and would adopt a legal course, said Saima Munir.
