ECP warns constituency results may be declared invalid if women's participation not ensured

ISLAMABAD: Any area where women are stopped from or face hindrances in voting could face the election in its constituency becoming invalid, two of the Election Commission of Pakistan's (ECP) provincial chapters said Saturday.

As the country heads to the polling stations on July 25, the ECP's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Balochistan chapters took notice of some reported deals that had been made to not allow local women to vote.

They said the results of any constituency would be declared invalid should the female turnout be lower than 10 per cent. Any person found involved in or facilitating such a deal may face up to three years in prison.

According to Pir Maqbool Ahmed, the provincial election commissioner, individuals found to be part of deals that could hinder women from voting or facilitating them may face sentences of up to three years.

Ahmed stressed that the candidates for the upcoming general election and other leaders and politicians should try to ensure that all women take part in the voting process.

Further steps will be taken to stop such deals from materialising in the first place, he added.