In Kohistan, political parties competing in the upcoming general elections have been prohibited from sending female members for door-to-door campaigning across different constituencies in the district.
This decree was issued unanimously by a 30-member group of clerics, primarily associated with the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) on Saturday.
The clerics, convened at the JUI-F central office in Kamila town, strictly banned women from canvassing for votes in the lead-up to the February 8 elections.
Mufti Gul Shahzada of Kandia, representing JUI-F, said that taking women door-to-door for seeking votes goes against Islamic injunctions and Shariah.
A gathering of at least 400 clerics from various parts of the district attended the session, where Mufti Shahzada outlined six decrees related to the upcoming elections.
Two women candidates supported by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Tehmina Faheem from PK-31 Kohistan-I, former lawmaker Momina Basit, and an independent candidate Sanaya Sabeel from PK-33 Kolai-Palas, are competing for seats in the district for the first time in its history.
Mufti Shahzada explained that these decrees were issued in light of the current situation and were based on Islamic injunctions, citing references from various religious books. He warned that using the Holy Quran to influence people’s votes would be considered sacrilegious and should not be practiced.
The clerics cautioned against voting based on linguistic, regional, or clan affiliations, stating that such practices negate Islamic teachings. Mufti Shahzada said that voting against Islamic ideology is a serious sin and contradicts Shariah.
When approached, the women contestants in Kohistan expressed their intention to provide their viewpoints after consulting with their respective political parties.
