LOWER DIR: Key political parties in Lower Dir District have entered into an informal agreement to bar women for voting in May 11 general elections, official sources and locals told media on Friday.
Sources said that the front men of Pakistan People’s Party (PPPP), Awami National Party (ANP) and the Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) candidates have arrived at an informal agreement to disallow women from voting in general elections for Lower Dir’s provincial assembly seat PK-94.
The JI’s Muzaffar Said, PPPP’s Alamzeb Khan and the ANP’s Ayub Khan are the major political parties contesting for the seat.Sources also confirmed that, due to the Election Commission’s restrictions, the candidates had made the deal through their ‘local operators’ instead of coming forward themselves.
“The decision was taken at village Bandagai in Talash area of Lower Dir district. But there is no written document in this regard and we also do not know that there are such arrangements in other areas as well,” said one source.
Political parties have previously barred women from voting in the same area and adjoining union councils.
However, due to the ECP’s strict rules this time, candidates have asked their front-men to carry out the agreement.
