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| India-Pakistan |
| Tribal women vote despite militant threats |
| 2008-02-19 |
| Despite threats from radicals, numerous women in the Federally Administered Tribal Area and Frontier Regions cast their votes in Monday’s election. Armed activists of the Lashkar-e-Islami (LI) in Khyber Agency stopped women from voting and damaged a camp set up by political parties at the Pasidkhel Government High School close to the Pakistan-Afghan border, where only two women cast their votes. On Thursday, LI Chief Mangal Bagh had announced a ban on participation of women in the balloting in two constituencies of Khyber Agency including NA-45 in Jamrud subdivision and NA-46 in Bara subdivision. Bagh had warned the agency residents to not let women vote, or face action “according to tribal traditions”. Around 2,027 women cast their votes in NA-45 of Jamrud subdivision amid tight security provided by the government and armed candidates. Around 25 women used their right to vote at the Sultan Khel Civil Dispensary polling station, out of the total 1,010 registered votes, in addition to two women voters in Pasidkhel. In NA-46, Darra Addam Khel, women visited two polling stations only, while other polling stations wore a deserted look, as women did not come out of their houses. In one female polling station, 60 female voters, out of the total 818 registered, cast their votes, while in another polling station, 49 women, out of the total 332 voters, cast votes amid tight security. Reportedly, North Waziristan women also took part in voting despite the local Taliban’s threats of punishment “in accordance with the tribal traditions”. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #2 Some seriously courageous women in that part of the world. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2008-02-19 13:58 |
| #1 They voted except when they couldn't vote (see above.) No surprise, considering john f'n kerry is there... |
| Posted by: M. Murcek 2008-02-19 09:47 |