The Civil Societies Alliance Wednesday demanded protection for women participating and voting in the upcoming local bodies' polls and demanded of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to declare results null and void in areas where women had been barred to contest or voting.
The Civil Societies Alliance is an association of seven non-governmental organisations against barring women's participating in local bodies' elections. The alliance is comprised of Aurat Foundation (AF), Strengthening Participatory Organisations (SPO), Shirkat Gah (SG), Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), Human Resources Management and Development Centre (HRMDC), Khwendo Kor and Sungi Foundation.
Bushra Gauhar, of HRMDC addressed the press conference.
Condemning the ongoing agreements between contestants with the support and patronage of prominent political parties especially the ruling MMA government in NWFP to prevent women from exercising their right to contest and vote in the upcoming elections, she said that the agreements had proved that government once again failed to take adequate measures for creating conducive environment for women's participation despite adequate and timely warning of such occurrences and experiences of similar situations in the past.
Bushra Gauhar termed the clandestine agreements among the contestants as violation of the election rules and the constitution. "It is disturbing that many of the prominent political parties and groups are justifying this illegal and criminal act in the name of traditions and culture".
She said that the agreements were not only limited to remote areas alone but were also taking place in and around Peshawar, Mardan, Charsadda and Swabi while district Kohistan was the worst example of human rights violation where a candidate for Nazim of Union Council Kunsher had given his daughter to his rival so that he could be elected unopposed.
Furthermore, she said women who filed papers with Nilofer Bakhtiar, advisor to Prime Minister were receiving threats.
The alliance said that mere rhetoric by federal and provincial governments and national and provincial leadership of political parties was not sufficient and called for urgent action at the local level to ensure active and meaningful women participation in the elections.
She demanded of the political parties to initiate immediate investigation in their party's district membership involvement in these clandestine agreements and issue show cause notices to the members found involved in such criminal activities.
She also urged on political parties to withdraw support from those contestants who were directly or indirectly involved in the agreements besides removal of their party membership and position in case of persistent involvement in violation of party policies.
The civil societies alliance also demanded of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to initiate investigation against all such contestants and political parties involved in such clandestine agreements and declare results null and void in areas where women had not been allowed to contest or vote in the elections.
"The ECP should take suo motto action against violators of election rules preventing or harassing women prior or during voting process," she said.
Similarly, she also demanded the suspension of the poll process in areas where women were barred till they were allowed to file nominations as candidates and exercise their right to vote freely and charging Nazim of Union Council Kunsher.
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