Kohistan fatwa bars women from Election Campaigning

A fatwa, or religious decree, prohibiting women from taking part in electoral canvassing has been issued by a group of Islamic clerics in the Kohistan district of KP.

The decree, which labels women’s canvassing activity as unIslamic, was issued just two weeks prior to Pakistan’s general election on February 8.It is noteworthy because three female candidates are running for the province assembly of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, which is a first for the area’s history.

According to local sources, over 400 ulemas assembled in Kohistan’s Komila district, and the meeting ended with the issuing of a six-point “declaration,” or fatwa. According to the statement, it is forbidden to bring women to voters’ houses to do canvassing.

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Additionally, it stated that it was a severe sin to vote for a candidate who opposed the Islamic form of government since doing so would be equivalent to endorsing a falsehood. According to the fatwa, it is also against Sharia to make voters swear allegiance to the Holy Quran under oath.

According to the fatwa, voting based on national, regional, or racial divisions is against the Holy Quran and Hadith, and voting for financial benefit is the worst kind of bribery. The order further said that it was against ulema ideology to separate votes for national and regional legislatures.

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At least eighteen ulemas have signed the proclamation with their names on it. Pakistan’s northern Kohistan is a traditional mountainous area. For many years, religious parties have controlled the district’s municipal politics. Since 1993, the more liberal Pakistan Peoples Party has failed to win any national elections in this country.

Nonetheless, three female candidates are running for the provincial assembly, a first for the area. Tehmina Fahim is a candidate for the PK-31 Upper Kohistan seat, backed by the PTI.Another PTI-backed candidate, Momina Basit, is vying for the PK-33 Kolai Palas seat, where the only other female contender is independent Sanaya Sabeel.