PK-30 by-election: PML-N, PTI activists brave cold to woo female voters

MANSEHRA: The women activists belonging to Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) have been campaigning hard even in snow-bound parts of the constituency to secure maximum votes of women in PK-30 by-election scheduled to be held next week.

“We think that women votes would determine the win of any aspirant in this by-election and this is the reason we are campaigning door-to-door even in snow-bound areas to motivate women to come out to cast their votes on the polling day,” Uzma Waheed, the district president of women wing of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, told reporters on Saturday.

Uzma, who visited Garhi Habibullah and its adjoining union councils, said that in the 2018 general elections, women’s turnout was meagre.

“This time, we have been focusing on women voters and expecting their votes, which may affect result of the by-election,” she said.

Ambreen Swati, the divisional general secretary of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf women wing, said: “Our struggle is for gender equality and this could only be possible when we could bring more and more women to polling stations in Tuesday’s by-election.”

Ambreen said that she led a group of his party in a door-to-door campaign even in snow-bound villages,” she said.

Meanwhile, the women activists of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz were also seen visiting various houses to motivate voters. “We are in contact with our female voters. And our voters are eager to come out and vote for the party candidate,” said an activist.

The Election Commission of Pakistan has finalised preparations for the by-election and established 188 polling stations where more than 2,000 security personnel including 1200 army men would be deployed.