Women candidates of all major political parties perform poorly

PESHAWAR: The women candidates of all major political parties contesting the election on general seats neither won, nor they stood runners-up in both provincial and national constituencies in the July 25 general election.

However, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s two candidates were in a close contest with male counterparts.

PTI candidate from PK-10 Upper Dir, Hameeda Shahid remained third in the race as she secured 10,904 votes.

The other PTI woman candidate from PK -42, Saima Khalid stood fourth in the contest by obtaining 10,337 votes.

Similarly, the PPP candidate on NA -27, Asma Alamgir, also closely contested against the male counterparts and remained third in the race by obtaining 24,002 votes.

A PPP candidate Khaista Begum, widow of former deputy speaker Abdul Akbar Khan, was also in a contest against male counterparts and remained fourth in the race with 8,569 votes.

However, QWP candidate Nargis Sameen got only 19 votes while contesting on PK -72, Peshawar.

Observers said that the result of female candidates on general seats showed that all major political parties fielded women candidates on those seats where there was no chance of winning. It was done just to comply with the provision of Election Act 2017, through which it was mandatory for every political party to field 5 percent candidates on general seats.

The PTI’s Maria Fatima, who contested election from PK-30, Mansehra got 1026 votes.

PTI’s Zahida Sabeel from PK-34, Mansehra got 3519 votes and Saima Khalid from PK-42, Haripur got 10,377 votes.

Interestingly, the Awami National Party (ANP) had fielded all its women candidates on constituencies in Hazara division, where the party has no chance to win a seat.

As per the ECP unofficial results, ANP’s Rubina Zahid from PK-36 Abbottabad got 77 votes, Rukhsana Bibi from PK-37, Abbottabad got 57 votes, Bibi Shehnaz Raja from PK-38, Abbottabad got 222 votes, Farzana Shaheen from PK-40, Haripur obtained 275 votes, Saira Saeed from PK-41, Haripur 608 votes and Irum Fatima contested the National Assembly seat NA-17, Haripur with 2,592 votes.

The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) female candidates results showed that except for Asma Alamgir, all had been awarded tickets on constituencies where there is no chance of winning.

The other PPP women candidates have been awarded tickets in the conservative areas of southern districts of the province.

As per the unofficial results, PPP’s Syeda Yasmin Safdar on PK-88, Bannu got 1811 votes, Mehr Sultana from PK-89, Bannu 347 votes, Farzana Shireen from PK-91, Lakki Marwat obtaining 139 votes, and Shazia Tehmas on PK-38, Abbottabad got 399 votes.

PPP’s Shaista Naz on the NA-17 seat got 2933 votes and Syeda Yasmin Safdar on NA-35, Bannu received 9,137 votes.

Interestingly, the MMA had fielded only one woman candidate for the provincial assembly seat in KP, while remaining candidates were fielded in Punjab. The MMA’s Farzana Rehan on PK-41 received 571 votes.

Similarly, the Wahdatul Muslimeen Pakistan’s woman candidate Razia Jafri on PK-40, Haripur got 60 votes.

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz had also awarded tickets to women candidates in those constituencies where the party is not popular.

Its candidates Sumaira Khan contested the election on PK-58, Charsadda and got 141 votes, Farah Khan from PK-60, Charsadda obtained 171 votes, Sobia Shahid from NA-7, Lower Dir got 1716 votes and Tahira Bukhari from NA-23, Charsadda got 1260 votes.

The QWP’s Rabia Gul on PK-37, Abbottabad got 430 votes, Imtiaz Bibi on PK-51, Mardan got 63 votes, and Nargis Sameen on PK-72, Peshawar got 19 votes.