Lashkar-e-Islami chief Mangal Bagh on Thursday announced what he called a ban on the participation of women in Monday’s elections in two constituencies of Khyber Agency – NA-45 in Jamrud subdivision and NA-46 in Bara subdivision. Addressing a public meeting at the residence of Ayub Afridi, Mangal Bagh warned the agency residents to stop their women from voting because it was “against the tribal traditions”. The LI chief said families and tribes would be punished in line with the tribal traditions if their women came out of their houses to vote. Bagh also said he would set up the LI’s headquarters at Bara tehsil after the elections.