In several union councils particularly in suburban localities of provincial metropolis, women were not allowed to exercise their right of franchise as the women polling stations were presenting deserted look and polling staff was waiting for women electorates.
The identified union councils where women reportedly did not cast their votes including Sheikh Mohammadi, Hazaar Khwani, Surizai (Upper) Surizai (Lower) Musazai, Bhadbair, Mathani, Adezai, Zangali, Sarband and some on Charsadda and Warsak roads. In most of these union councils the panels supported by different political parties have agreed on prior agreements barring women from exercising their right of franchise.
"We are barring women from voting as our conservative traditions do not allow it," Sahar Gul, an old man told Business Recorder in front of a polling station in Village Sheikhan. However, Jehangir Khan, who also claimed to be signatory to the notorious agreement to bar women from voting said, there is no ban on women to vote. However, we are monitoring the situation about how to bring out women to vote.
"An agreement has been written on stamp paper to prevent women from coming out of their house to use their right of franchise," said Niazmeen Khan another resident of the area. He said that the agreement has banned women voting in the union council. However, he said that women had exercised their right to vote in the previous general elections of October 2002.
Salma Usman, a presiding officer of a women polling station at Govt. Girls School Sheikh Muhammadi told a group of newsmen that there were 180 women voters. But, till 1300-hours none of them turned over to the polling station. She said that they have been informed about the agreement of barring women from vote, but the staff has to stay till the end of 1700-hours and closure of the polling processes.
"Situation in majority of the women polling stations in all 12 districts of the province was not women friendly and majority of them were barred from using their right to vote," Rakhshinda Naz, Resident Director, Aurat Foundation, a civil society for women rights has reportedly said.
She said that in five union councils of the electoral constituency of the Chief Minister Akram Khan Durrani some armed men occupied the women polling stations early in the morning and no woman was allowed to vote. The matter, she said has already been brought into the notice of the district returning officer (DRO) by the presiding officer concerned. Similarly, in district Karak a group has demanded the cancellation of the votes polled at the women polling station.
However, when Siraj-ul-Haq, Senior Minister in NWFP was contacted, he dispelled the reports of barring women from voting as a malicious propaganda to defame the provincial government. He said that there is no restriction on women voting in any part of the province. However, he said they could not force women to cast their votes in the polls.
Meanwhile, a number of minor clashes between the rivals, the supporters of the rival candidates have been reported from different union councils of the district Peshawar. "Polling remained suspended for several hours after police lathi charged a crowd in front of a women polling station in Bana Mari area of the city.
A minor clash has also been reported from a polling station in Peshtakhara, suburban locality of Peshawar over the erection of a tent in front of a polling station. Similarly, a minor clash between the supporters of Ihsanullah Qureshi and Azam Khan Afridi and another union council of Ghari Atta Mohammad have been reported. However, no report of casualty has been reported from any part of the city and its suburbs.