Surprising as it may sound, it’s true. The polling station with the highest number of women turning out to vote in the General Elections 2024 (GE-2024) was not in Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, or any other urban center usually considered more politically active.

According to official results shared by the Election Commission of Pakistan, the distinction goes to a polling station set up for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) from NA-40 North Waziristan, located in Bannu.

To avoid confusion, it’s important to clarify that a single polling station is not the same as a whole constituency. On average, a National Assembly constituency includes around 340 polling stations, while a Provincial Assembly constituency has more than 150.

Where is this polling station?

The record number of women voted at a polling station in Farakh Zad, a neighborhood in Haldi Mandi, Mamash Khel, Bannu. According to official Form-45, of the 3,489 women registered there, 3,257 cast their ballots on February 8, 2024. That’s a remarkable 93 percent turnout, and the highest absolute number of women voters at any polling station in the country. Quite impressive, provided that these women had actually voted.

Even more extraordinary is that not a single ballot was excluded from the count or declared invalid. Every single vote was counted in the official Form-45, and no errors were found during scrutiny by the Returning Officer. In other words, every woman marked her ballot perfectly.

How did they vote?

The women cast their ballots overwhelmingly in favor of the JUI-F candidate, who received 3,220 votes at this polling station. The runner-up was a PTI candidate who managed 37 votes only. For the context, JUI-F had been complaining of being targeted by non-state actors to desist its candidates from campaigning and voters from voting.

The choice of women at this polling station was also reflected in the result of the constituency, where the JUI-F candidate stood returned. However, the overall turnout for the constituency remained abysmally low at 33 percent, in contrast to the political enthusiasm shown by women in Farakh Zad.

Courage amid challenges

The story of Farakh Zad’s women is one of civic courage. The media and political parties must recognize the brave women of the Farakh Zad neighborhood who came out to vote despite security threats and political unrest as reported during the elections in February 2024, particularly in the southern districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.