Dir decision

Appreciated novelty

There were rumours about some sort of agreement between political parties – it later emerged that documents were indeed signed – to bar women from voting in the Dir by-election. That is why the ECP warned against such ideas in advance. Interestingly, ECP called such regressive practices un-Islamic in addition to being unconstitutional. At a time when the government itself is struggling to build a narrative around the finer, more enlightened principles of Islam, such clarity on the part of the Commission must be welcomed. However, that parties went ahead with their ban anyway, and forced 53 percent of the voting population out of the election, speaks volumes about their regard from the Commission, if not the constitution and indeed much else.

That is all the more reason that the Commission is spot on in cancelling the result. Such a step has never been taken in our gripping political history, and this novelty should also be appreciated. What bright idea was behind this ban remains unclear. Conservative commentators will insist the region’s ‘cultural values’ had a part to play. But some of the signatories, despite their conservative outlook, not only encourage women but rely on their participation to score points across the country. Why would they choose duplicity and hide behind so called cultural norms when there was no compelling need?

Our defenders of democracy tend to forget that by-elections are an essential part of representative government. Only when power transparently devolves to the grass-root does public participation begin to materialise. And ECP was right that women, just like men, had the fundamental right to offer their opinion. Hopefully the political machine will appreciate how times have changed. It is in their advantage to accept what ECP is trying to say. Rather than contest the decision, they should pull their act together and make sure such mistakes are not repeated.