By Fazal Khaliq
The Kashmiri families, settled in Swat, actively participated in the elections for LA-41 and LA-35 constituencies of Legislative Assembly of Azad Jammu and Kashamir by casting their votes in three combined polling stations set up in Mingora, Matta and Bahrain.
About 350 families from Kashmir migrated to Swat during 1965 war and settled in different parts of the district.
Some of the candidates also visited Swat to inform their voters about their programme after winning the elections.
Mohammad Naeem, a presiding officer at Nazarabad polling station in Matta, said that a combined polling station for men and women was set up where the polling process held in a peaceful way.
“We have 60 men and 52 women voters here. Both men and women cast their votes in a very peaceful situation,” he told Dawn.
Somia, a voter, said that the voting process went in a pleasant environment. “We used our right of vote in favour of our candidate peacefully and are happy with the polling process,” she said. She added that arrangements were good.
Gule Khandana, a female teacher and the assisting presiding officer in the polling station said that every five years later the same elections held where both male and female of the migrated families actively participated to use their right of franchise.
“The best thing is this that all the women voters come and exercise their right votes peacefully. All the 52 women came to polled their votes,” she said.
Majority of the families are settled at Shagwatai and Nazar Abad areas of tehsil Matta in Swat and mainly connected with farming and orchard industry.
Though these Kashmiri families have no problem in Swat however, their elders still recall their homeland.
