In a significant push for electoral inclusivity, the district administration of Shaheed Benazirabad has launched a concerted campaign to bridge the persistent gap between male and female voters. The initiative, spearheaded by District Election Commissioner Muhammad Yousuf Majeedano, aims to empower women by facilitating their access to national identity cards and voter registration.
Mobile Vans and Grassroots Campaigns
Chairing a meeting of the Inclusive District Coordination Committee (IDCC), Commissioner Majeedano outlined the ongoing efforts under Phase-V of the Inclusive NIC/Voter Registration Campaign. He revealed that the District Election Commissioner's Office, in collaboration with the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA), is deploying mobile registration vans to areas where women's registration remains critically low, primarily due to the lack of identity cards.
To ensure the campaign's success, the commissioner directed concerned officers to launch coordinated awareness drives. These efforts will involve local notables and community members to educate women on the crucial importance of obtaining CNICs and enrolling as voters.
A National Mission for Gender Parity
Commissioner Majeedano emphasized that this local drive is part of a broader, nationwide special campaign launched by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). The campaign's core objectives are to increase women's voter registration, raise public awareness, and implement practical measures at the grassroots level.
"These initiatives aim not only to achieve gender balance in the electoral rolls but also to strengthen women's active participation in the electoral process," Majeedano stated. He highlighted this as a vital step toward promoting democratic inclusion and gender equality in Pakistan.
Concrete Steps and Future Plans
To translate plans into action, the commissioner announced a concrete schedule for mobile camps. With NADRA's support, mobile registration van camps will be established in January 2026 across four specific union councils:
- UC Panhal Chandio of Sakrand
- UC Abul Hassan of Daur
- UC Ghandtarr of Nawabshah
- UC Qazi Ahmed of Qazi Ahmed
These camps will provide on-the-spot services for CNIC issuance and voter registration for women. Commissioner Majeedano stressed that the meaningful participation of women in upcoming elections requires a collective effort from all concerned departments, local authorities, and public representatives.
The IDCC meeting saw active participation from key stakeholders, including Assistant Election Commissioner Muhammad Umair, Zonal Head NADRA Rafiq Ahmed Bullar, representative of Hari Welfare Shahzad Khasikheli, Deputy District Health Officer Dr. Ishfaq Mashori, Minority Focal Person Lal Chand, and other committee members, who presented their suggestions for the voter registration drive.
