Politics - Women Candidates Contesting General Elections On Party Tickets

 Pakistan's population has nearly 50% of women. But 'Women and Politics' is not a hot topic to discuss in Pakistan.
With Elections a few days away, Let me take a look on political parties who have granted General Elections' Ticket to respective Women candidates.
Pakistan's National Assembly

 Overview:

In Elections 2013, Political parties in Pakistan awarded 36 tickets collectively to Women out of 272 available, which was 34 in 2008 and 38 in 2002.

Religious Political Parties:
No Women. This is what Religious political parties in Pakistan believe.

Jamiat-e-Ulma-e-Islam (Fazlur Rehman Group) and Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), parties considered as Religious or Islamic, have never given any ticket to women in history and they followed that, this time around too.

Pakistan People's Party (PPP): 

Moving to the previous ruling party PPP, which fielded 11 women this elections. Previously fielded 15 and 10 in the 2008 and 2002 elections respectively. Prominently including Samina Khalid Ghurki, Bushra Aitzaz, Dr. Fehmida Mirza, Firdous Ashiq Awan, Dr. Azra Fazal Pechuho, Faryal Taalpur (both are sisters of Asif Ali Zardari) and Shafiqa Rao.

Fehmida Mirza will try to complete a Ha-trick of victories from her hometown Badin.

Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz):

Former Opposition party, PML(N) has fielded 7 this year, after having fielded 6 in 2008 and 4 in 2002. Ghulam Bibi Bharwana, Saira Afzal Tarrar, Saima Akhtar Bharwana, Tehmina Doultana, Raheela Maghsi and Marvi Memon bagged the tickets this year.

 Muttahidda Qoumi Movement (MQM):

Muttahida Qoumi Movement (MQM) also increased its tally to 7 after fielding 6 in 2008 and 4 in 2002. Khushbakht Shujaat, Samia Naz, Dr. Zaib-un-Nisa, Bisma Asif, Nazli Iffat and Begum Tahira Asif. 5 of them are contesting from Lahore where even Altaf Hussain cannot cross 100 votes.
Sumaira Malik will be contesting for PML(Q).

Pakistan Muslim League (Quaid-e-Azam):

The number of candidates from PML(Q) reduced to 4 from 8 each in 2008 and 2002. This could be because of limited seats available after seat-adjustment with PPP. Sumaira Malik is the main yet important lady contesting on the party's ticket.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI):

From Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, which is trying to bring Change in Pakistan's Political Setup, women politicians expected much more, but it awarded only 4 women with tickets this year. In 2008, PTI didn't participated but 2 women were rewarded party ticket in 2002. Hina Manzoor, Wajiha Akram, Maryum Batool and Dr. Yasmin Rashid are the lucky ones this time.

Awami National Party (ANP):

Khurshid Begum and Irum Fatima are contesting for Awami National Party (ANP) which is familiar in only some parts of KPK, but is an important part of Pakistan's politics.

Special Mentions:

Besides these, Badam Zari, the first women ever to contest elections from Bajour Agency (a tribal area in Pakistan) is contesting Independently. Dr. Fouzia Siddique, sister of Dr. Aafia Siddique, is also contesting, but Independant.
Badam Zari, an illiterate woman, contesting Elections 2013 from Bajour Agency (a tribal area in Pakistan).
 Hina Rabbani Khar, who served as Pakistan's Foreign Minister lately, will not be contesting Elections this year as she withdrew to support her father.
Voted World's most glamorous Politician, HRK will not be contesting Elections this time.


13 out of 57 women reached the National Assembly in 2002 while 18 out of 64 reached Parliament in 2008 general Elections. (These numbers includes Independent candidates as well.)

 Neglecting women who are nearly 40% of Pakistan's voters highlights the fact that political parties do not show any interest in Women Politics. And the male-dominant era will continue minimally for another 5 years. This trend needs to be broken, if Pakistan as a nation wants equal rights for Pakistani women.

(Worth to Mention 'Amir Wasim' who helped me with some of the names.)

Israr Ahmed Hashmi is a free-lancer journalist, political and human rights activist. He tweets here, @IamIsrarHashmi.

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