Booths in NWFP remain deserted

Low turnout was witnessed at the polling stations throughout NWFP in yesterday's referendum to elect Gen. Pervez Musharraf as president for the next five years, with polling stations in large parts of DI Khan, Karak, Lakki Marwat, Hangu, Tank and Bannu districts, deserted for most of the day.

People in Swat, Dir Lower and Dir Upper, Chitral, Buner, Swabi and Shanglapar districts and Malakand Agency also showed a lukewarm response and most of the polling stations remained quiet throughout the day.

In parts of Swat and Dir, no female staff was deputed for duty at the polling stations. The attendance of women at polling stations in these districts was negligible.

Women had been barred from polling votes by Jirgas influenced by religious and political parties in the previous local bodies elections.

In Shadara area of Swat, only four votes were polled by women, which included three votes of the female election staff. Similar was the result at the Government High School Khwazakhela where only three female votes had been polled.

Polling stations in main urban centres, however, recorded encouraging turnout, specially, in Peshawar, Mardan, Kohat, Nowshera, DI Khan, Bannu, Abbottabad, Mansehra, but polling stations in rural areas across the province were empty.

Provincial ministers, Nazims and the political parties supporting Musharraf brought people to the polling stations, while an overwhelming majority of the government employees also voted. The number of female voters both in urban and rural areas was negligible.

It was also reported that Nazims had collected national identity cards from eligible voters in advance and were seen casting votes at the polling stations on their behalf. At a polling station in Swat, one of the presiding officers stopped polling for some time to protest against the local Nazim, who was trying to cast proxy votes.

The turnout in tribal areas, was impressive and the tribals took keen interest in stamping "yes" on the ballet papers, election staff and locals said.