LANDI KOTAL: More women registered as voters than men during the registration campaign in the two National Assembly constituencies of Khyber Agency for the forthcoming general elections.

Eligible female voters from NA-45 (Bara) showed more keenness to exercise their democratic right of voting by registering themselves in a larger number than male voters in the same constituency.

According to official record obtained from the Election Commission of Pakistan, Khyber Agency offices, 52,585 new female voters were registered in the voter registration campaign which started in June 2016 compared to 32,087 newly-registered male voters in Bara.

The total number of women voters in Bara, NA-45 constituency, for 2013 general elections was 53,373 which had now soared to 105,958. The male voters increased from 108,354 in 2013 to 140,441 till the end of March this year.

52,585 female, 32,087 male voters registered in Bara since June 2016

In NA-44 (Jamrud-cum-Landi Kotal) constituency the women again surpassed the male voters in the new registration campaign by a margin of 2,911. The record showed that 31,871 women had registered themselves as new voters compared to their total number of 71,911 prior to 2013 general elections. In the same constituency, the number of male voters has increased from 103,125 in 2013 to 132,085 till March this year.

The ECP has in the meantime arranged a total of 18 voters display centres in Khyber Agency with 11 in Bara and Tirah, three each in Jamrud and Landi Kotal and one at the commission’s main office in Jamrud.

Officials of the ECP in Jamrud told this scribe that the role of local tribal elders, representatives of political parties and civil society organisations in the voter registration had not been very encouraging. They said that despite holding awareness campaigns in Bara, Jamrud and Landi Kotal response of all the stakeholders was lukewarm.

The officials said that they had provided all possible facilities to the interested men and women for registration of their names in the new voters list, but a considerable number of potential voters were yet to be registered. They said that it had been made mandatory for every eligible voter to acquire and submit the vote form as per the new registration policy.

“We have refused a number of people who demanded vote forms in bulk as every individual is required to personally get the form,” they said.

The officials, however, acknowledged that the number of voters aspiring for revision of his or her vote registration both at the display centres and main office in Jamrud had increased.

Published in Dawn, April 22nd, 2018