The latest voting statistics show that the electoral gender gap in Pakistan has been reduced to less than 10 million for the first time in a decade, which is no less than an achievement.

According to the data on record, the number of voters in the country has increased to 128 million, in which the number of men registered as voters is 69.26 million while the total number of women voters is 59.32 million. From which the electoral gender gap is numerically 9.94 million. Which is a welcome thing.

According to the recently released data, men constitute about 53.9 percent of the total voters, while the share of women voters is 46.1 percent. At the time of the 2008 elections, the gap between male and female voters was 9.7 million, which increased to 11 million during the 2013 elections.  The gap widened further during the 2018 election, reaching 12.49 million. In November 2021, the electoral gender gap stood at 11.81 million. The data released is quite encouraging. The gap between the number of male and female voters has continued to widen for most of the past decade, with newly released figures encouraging.

The issue of low participation of women voters has, historically, always been a hindrance to strengthening our democratic process. Women make up almost half of the country's population, so despite the electoral gender gap falling below 10 million, the overall picture is still a serious problem. In the slums, where women were not allowed to vote during the recent elections, the role of all major political parties on this front has been dismal as they have readily accepted these informal restrictions on women's participation in the political process.  In many parts of the country, especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the former tribal areas and in some remote areas of Balochistan, women were not allowed to vote during the recent elections. What has happened is that they have readily accepted these informal restrictions on women's participation in the political process. The role of all the major political parties on this front has been very disappointing as they have readily accepted these informal restrictions on women's participation in the political process, while the PPP is the only party that has consistently opposed the move. What else is going on? The reactionary principles have played an important role in shaping the role of women in Pakistani society.

Traditional gender roles often confine women to domestic responsibilities, restricting their involvement in public affairs, and the practice of negatively viewing women's presence in public spaces also means that they are deprived.  Besides, this practice of negatively viewing the presence of women in public spaces also means that a large number of them remain without CNIC, more than 10 million in the country.  Women do not have this important document without which they cannot be registered as a voter, millions of women also miss out on the benefits of the Benazir Income Support Program because they do not have a National Identity Card.  Reshaping societal attitudes about the role of women in public life will require a multi-pronged approach that includes promoting a change in mindset through integrated education and awareness programs against regressive attitudes so that thinking that Political parties should stop appeasing those sections of their constituencies who hold regressive views regarding women's entry into public spaces, as discouraging women's progress can lead to their elimination from society.  Pakistan cannot become a modern, progressive, democratic state unless women play their proper role in the political process. come to the fore, they do not fully meet their needs. There is often insufficient attention to women's issues in the entire population, resulting in women being left out of the race for development. This is a situation that will prevail indefinitely.  It should be noted that the lack of representation of women in the political arena means that the resulting legislation and policies do not fully meet their needs and often lack attention to women's issues across the population. Meanwhile, the important stage of submitting nomination papers to participate in the general elections has been completed and more than 32 thousand candidates have submitted their nomination forms to the relevant rating officers for the election of 859 members of the National and Provincial Assemblies, including special seats for women and minorities.  The examination also started from Monday. The process will be completed on December 30, after which the Election Commission will announce the final list of candidates after the date for withdrawal of nomination papers has passed.  On the occasion of submitting the papers, great enthusiasm was seen among the candidates and their supporters. Dozens of candidates are in the fray for one seat in some constituencies. They include heads of political parties and other important figures. The Election Commission has announced the list of 175 political parties participating in the elections, including the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf, but its leader's box is empty as the commission rejected his party's election for not following the rules. and its electoral symbol has also been withdrawn. The Commission has directed to give equal opportunities to all parties to participate in the election. Interestingly, the election activities have started but no party except Jamaat-e-Islami has announced its election manifesto yet. The election campaign has so far been limited to pointing out and blaming each other's weaknesses.

It is said that other parties are busy preparing their election narratives and manifestos and will announce their agenda after the final list of candidates is out. After that, it will be known which party proposes the solution to the current difficulties and problems faced by the country and the people.  The caretaker government has said that it is fully supporting the steps taken by the Election Commission for fair, transparent and fair elections but it also depends on the political parties themselves and their workers to what extent they make their election campaign peaceful and purposeful.

For this, it is necessary that the political leaders take the country's problems seriously in their speeches and present a positive plan instead of provocation. This is the urgent need of the hour. The nation is currently suffering from political uncertainty, economic instability, worst inflation and unemployment crisis. The World Bank in a recent report has expressed fears that the elections will not bring any major changes in the country and the new government will face most of the same problems that the previous governments faced.

Therefore, the caretaker government and all political parties have to adopt an attitude of patience and tolerance in the interest of the country. Especially political parties have to include positive and constructive programs in their election agenda.  Abusive language, slander and mockery should be avoided. At this critical juncture in the country's history, an election campaign based on patience and tolerance is in the interest of the nation. The choice of future leadership is the power of the people and it is best to accept whoever they choose in a democratic manner.

Published in The Daily National Courier, December, 28 2023

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