QUETTA: Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) women wing leader Sana Durrani on Monday urged 1.8 million female voters in the province to exercise their right to franchise on July 25 and elect leaders who could protect their rights denied by successive governments.

She was speaking at a press conference along with another BAP leader Bushra Rind on Monday.

She said July 25 is the day when the province would get rid of sectarianism, politics of hatred and discrimination, and expressed the hope that women would choose BAP to secure their rights.

Asking the women to step out of the houses on July 25 to cast their votes, she said the party wanted to remove the sense of deprivation from among the womenfolk.

Establishing a development-friendly and civilized society had remained a long-awaited desire of the women of Balochistan, she said adding that there remained challenges and weaknesses in every society but people brought about transformation to their thoughts to change the situations accordingly.

Ms Rind said women constituted half of the country’s population hence progress could only be brought about with their full participation in the election.

She said that it was our responsibility to ensure participation of women in social and political activities and also raise voice for their rights.

A large number of women, she said, were deprived of their electoral rights. She urged the 1.8 million eligible voters to realise the power of vote and fulfil their national obligation by casting votes.

Ms Durrani in reply to a question said that BAP would emerge victorious in the elections.

Published in Dawn, July 24th, 2018