#HistoryMade: Pakistan's tribal women cast vote for the first time
In a historic first, women of a conservative tribal district of Pakistan bordering Afghanistan today cast their ballots as Pakistan went to polls, according to a media report. Since Pakistan's first general elections in the 1970s, the women in Upper Dir, which was once a Taliban stronghold, had been deprived of using their right to franchise on the pretext of cultural taboos. Here's more.
Constituency becomes invalid where women are banned from voting: ECP
Queues of women could be seen outside the polling stations in constituencies NA-5 and PK-12 of Upper Dir as polls opened across the country, according to a Geo News report. The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had earlier said that any area where women are stopped from voting could face the election in its constituency becoming invalid, the report said.
ECP takes another bold step for tribal women's voting rights
The ECP had also said that the results of any constituency would be declared invalid should the female turnout be lower than 10%. Upper Dir has a total of 447,414 registered voters.
