Make your voice heard: Women asked to fully participate in LG election

CHITRAL, Dec 25: Women should fully participate in the upcoming local government election and play their role in development of their respective areas. This was stated by Engineer Temour Shah, the coordinator of the Rural Community Development Program (RCDP), while speaking at a seminar here. He said most of the women in Chitral were barred from voting in elections but they must raise their voice against this trend because it was women’s constitutional right to cast their votes and also participate in the elections as candidates. Engineer Shah briefed the participants of the seminar about the importance of women’s participation in local government election and how they can change the system. The seminar on ‘mobilization of maximum participation of women in local government election’ held at the RCDP in collaboration with the Strengthening Participatory Organization (SPO). Former director information Chitral Yousuf Shahzad, whow as the chief guest, also highlighted importance of women participation in the local government system. He asked women to contest upcoming election on women seats as general councillors. Women have 33 per cent quota in the election, he added. In order to bring positive changes in the country, women must come forward and have their impact on the elections, he added. Muhammad Ismail Khan Sarhadi advocate, who presided over the seminar, spoke on the legal point of view saying it was women’s basic right to participate in any election. Kashmala Afroz, a little girl, presented poem on the occasion. Those who spoke were Fazal Ahmad, Bibi Nasreen, Nadia Gul, Amina Bibi,  Tasmia Iqbal and Kowaki Kalash.]]>