“Thousands” of women barred from voting

As the third phase of local body elections took place in 19 districts throughout the country on Thursday, thousands of women were barred from casting ballots and filing nominations in what the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan [HRCP] called “a gross violation of election laws”. HRCP called on the Election Commission of Pakistan to immediately order new polls in the many constituencies where women were unable to vote, as a result of illegal agreements reached between male candidates. When the present military government came to power in October 1999, it announced a return to democracy, starting with a devolution of power at the local level. According to this devolution plan, 33 percent, or some 42,000 seats in the lowest tier of government, the union councils, would be reserved for women through direct election. The previous two phases of elections, however, have been marred by attacks on women, with religious groups in some districts of Pakistan’s North-West Frontier Province excluding women from polling. On Thursday in Dadu District of Sindh Province, 24 people were wounded and several arrested in election-related clashes, sparked over the casting of votes by women, according to media reports. The chairman of the HRCP, Afrasiyab Khattak, told IRIN on Friday that the harassment of “thousands” of female voters “belied the government’s claim of ensuring women’s participation in elections”. A statement issued by the rights group called it an outrage that activists of orthodox groups were permitted to harass women who attempted to file papers. “In the Dir area, representatives of NGOs were threatened after they attempted to put up women candidates, and their papers were torn up,” it said. The report maintained that such actions could not take place without the “direct collusion of the authorities”. “The lack of action taken by the government to act against elements who have forcibly prevented women from exercising their right to balloting, and threatened those attempting to do so, again show that the rulers support the stance of these elements,” the statement said. Khattak said the rights group had demanded that in areas where women were barred from polling, the results should be declared null and void and fresh elections scheduled. Thursday’s elections will be followed by a final phase in August. Thereafter, Chief Executive General Pervez Musharraf has publicly pledged to abide by a Supreme Court ruling to restore democracy and hold national elections within three years from the date he took power.