Islamabad A large number of women used their right to vote in what was an overall peaceful voting environment in the first-ever Local Government Elections of Islamabad on Monday. Crowds of women from all age groups was witnessed at the majority of polling stations. Although the pace was slow early on, it picked up around mid-day. More excitement and number was seen in the polling station of minority areas and suburbs of Islamabad as compared to posh areas. “May be all their problems have been solved. For us, it is an opportunity to directly connect with the government and raise voice for our community at a relevant forum. We are here to have better future for our children,” said Sana Wilson, a candidate for female councillor's seat from UC 28. She said that their basic issues are provision of water, education, electricity and gas. “For long, we are asking the administration to cover the 'nullah' that passes through our residential areas but no one has taken this issue seriously. We hope that this issue will be solved after these elections,” said Sana. Charged environment was witnessed in Islamabad Model School Number 2, Golra, in UC 50 where female political workers were seen inside the polling station scuffling on issues related to mismanagement. “There is a long line of women outside one room whereas there is no voter in the other room. The presiding officers are roaming outside the polling area and guiding people to one room. They are encouraging voters to vote for a specific party,” claimed a PTI worker, Zovia Arshad. There was exchange of harsh words among the political workers on this issue. Presiding officers on the other hand blamed lack of voters' education for the slow voting. “It is not our fault that all voters of one room are coming in during the first half of the day,” said Presiding Officer Nighat Ayub. When asked about the presence of more than one woman at the polling booth, she said, half of our time is consumed convincing women to follow the rules. “Most of these women are not educated and their family members or party leaders never educate them on how to cast vote. Though we have pictorial posters outside every polling station but women fail to understand them as well. We try our best to guide them but sometimes it becomes difficult for us to control,” she said. When contacted, a policewoman on duty said that if they try to control female voters by hand, voters make a scene that police are trying to stop them from casting vote. “It is the duty of political parties to educate their voters,” said Constable Humaira Khan, outside a polling station in Golra. She said that there is only one female police constable on duty at every polling station because of low number of women in Islamabad police department. She said that one policewoman is made available after calling extra force from Punjab Police. “Man can only stand in the middle of the crowd and guide them verbally. We are not supposed to touch women even at the time of scuffle,” said a male constable, Barkhurdaar, on duty with Humaira Khan. Like past elections, the Election Commission of Pakistan again failed to facilitate the disabled and elderly at the polling stations where major access issues for those who have to use wheelchair or have other health issues, were noted. “I am a disabled person with one amputated leg and in this condition I had to climb 32 steps of stairs,” said Nasreen Shehla, who was taking rest and drinking water to collect her energy to reach the polling booth at a combined polling station in UC 24, Margalla Town. “This is the third time that I had to sit and take rest since I have entered the gate of this school though there was a gate just next to the women's polling area and it had only 8 steps. The government should consider disabled, elderly and those with health issues while notifying the polling stations,” she suggested. When asked about the voters’ facility, security person on duty, Constable Kazim Shah, said that they were allowed to open only one gate for voters due to security issues. “The wall of this school is very low in height and we have no choice but to open only one gate for the security of voters,” he said. Some women did not like the idea of combined polling stations. “We had to be accompanied by our male family members due to the crowd outside. I was so uneasy crossing the area outside the polling station,” said a female voter at the Margalla Town polling station.
