100-year-old woman fails to meet criteria to contest polls

PESHAWAR: A nearly 100-year old woman from the conservative Bannu district was among many females who submitted nomination papers to contest the July 25 general election on general seats against influential male rivals.

Hazrat Bibi had appeared before the election officials to submit nomination papers for NA-35 and PK-89. Reports from Bannu on Wednesday said she could not deposit the required money, which is mandatory along with nomination papers. She was Rs2,000 short of the deposit fee and had to return home disappointed. She arranged the amount on Wednesday but it was already late.

Hazrat Bibi intended to contest against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan and former Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister Akram Khan Durrani in the NA-35 Bannu constituency. The elderly woman was hoping she will be awarded candle as election symbol.

“Promotion of education and welfare of the people is my manifesto,” the elderly woman told reporters when she appeared to submit her papers. She said she had tried her luck in the past elections too.

Many on the social media lauded the commitment of the woman this her old age. She came alone to submit nomination papers and challenge her mighty rivals. Though they knew she could not get enough votes, everyone appreciated her for her continued efforts to prove her point, especially in the conservative southern district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. "One needs to check as it must be written in Guinness Book of World Records," one tweeted.

Another female Yasmin Safdar is also contesting from the same constituency on the ticket of the Pakistan Peoples' Party (PPP). The PPP has also fielded Asma Alamgir from NA-27 in Peshawar and Shaista Naz from NA-17 Haripur.

The party has fielded a few other women to contest for general seats against male rivals in different parts of the province. A female candidate, Hameeda Shahid, from another conservative district, Upper Dir, has submitted nomination papers after she was awarded ticket by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

She will be contesting from a district where until recently women were barred from casting their votes. She is trying her luck from PK-10. Another woman trying her luck on a PTI ticket is Zahida Sabeel, who is contesting election from PK-34 Mansehra.

The Awami National Party (ANP) has allotted tickets to one female for the National Assembly seat and five others for the provincial assembly. Irum Fatima has been allotted ANP ticket to contest from NA-17 Haripur. Rubina Zahid, Rukhsana Bibi, Shahnaz Raja, Farazia Shaheen and Saira Syed are trying their luck for provincial assembly seats PK-36, PK-37 and PK-38 in Abbottabad and PK-40 and PK-41 in Haripur, respectively.

Other political parties have also encouraged women to contest directly for national and provincial assembly seats. Many believe that apart from a few serious candidates, fielding of women by different political parties in KP seems to be a mere formality to show that five per cent tickets are allotted to women.

Most are in no position to win seats or give a tough time to their rivals. However, the fielding of so many women to contest for general seats is a positive sign in a province where females have traditionally been contesting for reserved seats for women. Meanwhile, for the reserved seats for women the political parties have already submitted their priority lists.