Islamabad: Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has decided to seek explanation from candidates of PK-95 by-election who won by Jamaat-e-Islami.

Deeply concerned about barring women from the voting process, the commission has decided to issue a notice to all seven candidates in order to seek an explanation, before making the final decision. The commission will soon be issuing a notice to Chief Secretary of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government.

More than 52, 000 women voters are registered in the constituency, but none of them voted resulting in a low turnout. JI’s Lower Dir Ameer (chief) Aizaz-ul-Mulk Afkari won through 18,711 votes, while Awami National Party’s (ANP) Bahadur Khan got 16,403 votes.

The seat was vacant after JI Ameer (chief) Sirajul Haq stepped down, as member from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assembly in favor of a senatorial seat.

Rights activists condemned the candidates for not allowing women to use their right to vote and called ECP to take notice of the matter.