Women are missing in the national debate. They are missing in the public sphere. They are missing in decision-making positions. They are missing in legislatures and in policy-making. And now, we are told, they are missing in the electoral rolls as well. The provisional census data reveals that millions of women above the age of eighteen exist as unregistered voters. The figures are contested but each new figure shows these missing women voters on the rise.

As of now the figure floats between 10 and 12 million.

Is there a link between the missing women voters and those that are missing in the national debate and so on. Apparently there is.

It needs to be stated that the women have become disenfranchised because of the mandatory restriction of CNIC. That millions of women in this country go without an important document like the CNIC is a shocking realisation. Now that the statistics are out, no one is even suggesting that the condition of CNIC should be set aside; only that there should be an effort to provide these 10 million or so women CNICs and making them eligible to vote.

Read also: The missing 12 million

The sad part is that for most stakeholders it is still not an issue worth considering. Some damage control exercise is being launched by the ECP along with Nadra and civil society organizations in 79 districts across Pakistan. While the ECP and others contend that political parties must accept their role in mobilising women and best suited to do so, so far none has come forth.

In any case, we are not going to see all these women back on the rolls till the election 2018. If there is commitment and all the concerned quarters are on board, they can aim to bring back the women voters by election 2023.