Pakistani Women Barred From Voting

(Lahore, Pakistan) Geo News channel reports that hundreds of thousands of women will be prohibited from voting in the upcoming Northwest Frontier Province (NWFP) council elections.

From the Daily Times:

Tribal elder Haji Rahat Hussain said agreements to bar women from contesting and voting in the local council elections were signed by male candidates including nazims and naib nazims [local/district officials] with a view to maintain law and order, the channel reported. "Traditionally, our women have always stayed away from elections and they are not even ready to step out of their homes," he told Geo.

So, traditionally, women have not voted, therefore, women should be barred from voting. It's screwy logic, for sure. Nonetheless, it is consistent with fundamental Islamic teachings that women are subservient to men. The Election Commission and the government are being asked to intervene to allow women to have access to the polls.

District elections are due to start this week and are considered to be an indication of the level of support the various political parties can expect in the Pakistani general elections in 2007.