While women came out in large numbers to participate in the second phase of the local bodies elections held on Thursday, there were reports of women being stopped from exercising their right to franchise in many districts of Punjab. A scuffle broke out at a polling station in ward-III of Chenab Nagar, Chiniot when one contestant tried to stop a troop of women, who had been brought in by the rival candidate, from casting their vote. Polling had to be suspended due to the scuffle, but resumed after a 30 minute interlude.
In Sahiwal, a school-teacher on polling duty was arrested after he forced women to cast ballots in favour of his favoured candidate. In Hafizabad, women supporters of different candidates exchanged harsh words that resulted in a scuffle at a polling station. In ward-II of UC-17 in Sheikhupura Muridke, women presiding officers were locked in a room by supporters of an independent candidate. Police had to intervene and rescue the polling staff. Meanwhile, there were numerous reports of women being barred from voting at different polling stations in Mianwali apparently after a decision by local jirga. However, women returned to their polling stations and cast their votes unhindered after an intervention by contesting candidates. Women in Jhang were discouraged from casting their votes with clashes erupting at some stations. Here, a rumour that the ECP would hold re-election in any UC where 20pc of women voters did not cast their ballot, prompted candidates to hurriedly set aside what they earlier considered a venerable tradition, and allow women to vote. A patriarchal society does not easily let go of customs based on antediluvian notions of honour; it fears that any expression of personal opinion on the part of its women will spill over into other aspects of life and undermine the very bedrock of its existence. However, the Mianwali incident illustrated how swiftly ‘tradition’ can be cast aside when it is politically expedient to do so, which only serves to highlight the rank hypocrisy that underlies this smokescreen. Meanwhile, the example of Ms Talib shows there are courageous individuals who are willing to stand up to misogyny and unjust customs: the ECP must reinforce their stand by imposing such sanctions as allowed by law against those who violate the electoral code. In the run-up to the general elections in 2013, the body had made it abundantly clear it would not tolerate any attempt to disenfranchise women, often achieved through agreements among local candidates and right-wing pressure groups. To its credit, it has followed through in some instances — with salutary effect. Most recently, it ordered re-polling in Lower Dir’s PK-95 constituency when no women turned up to vote in the by-election on May 7 — a step, it is believed, that led to women being allowed to participate in the Upper Dir by-election a few months later.
pk.shafaqna.com
