ISLAMABAD, June 3:

Women were barred by eldersfrom voting in a local election inPakistan’s northwestern Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province, prompt-ing the Election Commission toorder re-elections in the restiveregion.

Elections were held on May 7in Lower Dir region in the conser-vative province in the northwestand won by a candidate of right-wing Islamic party, Jamat-i-Islami.

Local media and civil socie-ty groups said that women wereabsent from the polling stationas they were barred under anagreement by political partiesand elders.

The Election Commission ofPakistan (ECP), which supervis-es the polls, after a meeting yes-terday cancelled the results andordered re-polling in the con-stituency.

“The by-election of con-

stituency No PK-95 Lower Dir-II is hereby declared void for thereasons of disenfranchisementof female voters,” the ECP saidin a statement.

“New election schedule shallbe announced in accordancewith law, in due course,” it said.

Aizaz-ul-Mulk who had wonthe elections criticised the ECPand said that no agreement wasmade to stop women from vot-

ing. He decided to challenge it inthe Supreme Court.

Women in conservativenorth-western region are often

not allowed to go out of theirhomes and often barred to votefor which they need to go out tothe polling stations. (PTI)

THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015 (PAGE 16) DAILY EXCELSIOR, JAMMU

Women barred from voting in local elections in Pak