MMA submits tentative list of candidates for women reserved seats

PESHAWAR: The Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) has submitted a tentative list of nine candidates for women reserved seats in the National Assembly from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and 23 candidates for the provincial assembly.

Similarly, nine names have been submitted for the reserved seats for minorities in the provincial assembly from the platform of MMA.

The list of the minorities was not final and changes could be made to it, said a key office-bearer of the alliance of the religious parties, while talking to The News.

Changes could also be made to the serial numbers of the women candidates both for the national and provincial assembly, he said.

He was of the opinion that it was binding upon the political parties to submit a list of possible candidates for the reserved seats before the last date for the submission of the nomination papers. However, changes in the order of the list could be made any time before the election, he added.

According to the list for the women reserved seats for National Assembly, five candidates belong to Jamaat-e-Islami and four to Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-F. Shahida Akhtar Ali, a two-time member National Assembly and a leader of JUI-F is on the top of the list.

Inayat Begum, a former MNA and leader of JI women wing is on number 2 on the priority list.

Naeema Kishwar of JUI-F a former MNA holds third place on the list. Fauzia Yousaf, JI head of women wing southern districts is on number 4.

Maroof Saleem belonging to Bannu and affiliated with the JUI-F is on number five.

Samia Afsar of the JI is number six. Farhana Khalid of JUI-F on the seventh number. Former JI MNA, Ayesha Sayyed is on number eighth and Samia Raheel Qazi, the former MNA and daughter of late Qazi Hussain Ahmad, holds the ninth and last position.

Out of the 23 names submitted for the reserved seats in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, 15 belong to JUI-F, six to JI and one each to Jamiat Ulema-e-Pakistan and Jamiat Ahle Hadith. According to the list former member provincial assembly, Rehana Ismail is on the top of the list. She is followed by Humera Khatoon of the JI.

The other JUI-F candidates among the list include Bilqees, Lubna Wajid, Shama Ijaz, Asifa Nosheen, Sawaira Imran, Amna Bibi, Jameela Ahmad, Tayyeba Ismail, Salma, Shabnam Afridi, Asia Bibi, Rasia, Mazmila Raza, Shazia and Mehwish Aneeq.

The other JI applicants are Naheed Younas, Jamila Haider, Faraheem and Samia Raheel Qazi.

Nausheen Bibi, wife of JUP’s provincial president, Qari Mohammad Fayyaz, and Hafiza Tayyeba, wife of Jamiat Ahle Hadith provincial president Maulana Fazlur Rahman Madani are also on the list.

The name of Samia Raheel Qazi has been put in the tail end of the priority list. A JI office-bearer said the list was given by the women wing of the party and second it would be changed before the election.