Women in Upper Dir UC want LG polls declared null, void

DIR: The women hailing from Union Council Nehag in Wari tehsil in Upper Dir, who were allegedly stopped from casting votes in the local government elections on May 30, sent applications to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to declare the ballot null and void.
The women also submitted an application to the district returning officer (DRO) in this respect. The women, including Bacha Bibi, Rawasia Bibi, Meena Gul, Basmeena Bibi and others, the residents of Karpat and Karbadi of Nehag Darra, told The News that they had gone to the polling stations for casting votes on May 30.
However, they alleged that they were not allowed by the polling staff to cast their votes. They said that they were told that there were no arrangements for the women voters. They said they were stopped by force and sent home. They said that voting was their constitutional right and the polling staff and the locals had violated the law.
“I along with other women went to the polling station at the Government Primary School, Karbadi, where my vote was registered, but I was told by polling staff that there are no arrangements for women voters,” said Bacha Bibi.
The women in Upper Dir cast vote for the first time since 1970 in some parts of the district like Brawal, Wari, Kakad and Rokhan areas. The women said that they had sent their applications by fax to the ECP and also to provincial election commission in Peshawar for taking action against the violators.
They said the women in Karpat, Karbadi, Khandaro and other areas were stopped from voting. The male relatives of the women said that they had given an application to returning officer/assistant commissioner Wari for taking action against those who had stopped women from casting votes.
The losing candidate of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), Anwar Zeb, from Nehag ward also alleged that a particular political party had committed rigging in the local government elections. He claimed that he had evidence that some people, who were abroad, but their votes had been cast.