Pakistan Coalition for Free, Fair and Democratic Elections (PACFREL) partner organisations Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), Ecumenical Advocacy Forum (EAF), South Asia Partnership Pakistan (SAP-PK).
Aurat Foundation (AF), Strengthening Participatory Organisations (SPO), SUNGI Development Foundation (SDF), Interactive Resource Centre (IRC) and Pakistan Institute for Labour Education and Research (PILER) have demanded of the Election Commission of Pakistan to take action against the groups averse to women voting.
In a press statement issued here on Monday while reacting to a news published in a section of press titled "Tribal leaders vow to bar women from voting", PACFREL recommended to the Election Commission of Pakistan and the federal government to announce that general elections would be null and void in those areas where women would be barred from casting their votes.
It said that PACFREL NWFP chapter had also sent a letter to the Chief Election Commissioner, requesting him to take urgent steps for ensuring maximum participation of women in election 2008. PACFREL added that the obstruction and hurdles on the part of some groups depriving women from casting their votes be tackled down according to the Constitution and the election rules.
The partner organisations also demanded of the government to provide security to women voters to enable them to exercise their democratic rights and participate in the mainstream political process and to take prompt action on the complaints filed by PACFREL and penalise the contestants who are violating the Code of Conduct and election rules.
The civil society groups urged the government to give maximum publicity to the ensuing elections in order to mobilise the entire population, including women. It is to be mentioned here that Pakistan Coalition for Free and Fair Democratic Elections (PACFREL) is a broad coalition of Pakistani national civil society organisations believing in democracy and transparent democratic processes.-PR