MQM woman senator to vote despite Iddat

KARACHI: Newly-elected lady Senator of MQM Khalida Tayyab has said that she will participate in Senate Chairman’s election to be held today. She was of the view that she will participate in the election process while following Shariah. She said, she had also followed the Shariah obligations at the time of Senate elections on March 3.

Earlier, Khalida Tayyab on Thursday reached Islamabad along with her son to cast vote for the election of Senate chairman and deputy chairman. Khalida’s husband died three months ago and at present she is under ‘Iddat’. MQM’s Member National Assembly Kishwar Zehra has said that Khalida Tayyab took the decision after consulting with religious scholars and she would join the session after completion of her ‘Iddat’.

Earlier, due to her ‘Iddat’, her family consulted with different scholars including Jamia Banoria’s Darul Uftah. After taking their consent she went to Islamabad to cast

her vote.

On the other hand, scholars from Jamia Banoria in its ‘fatwa’ (decree) said that to cast vote is not a valid reason to break ‘Iddat” and she should not do that. “The decree, that was issued on Thursday said that as far as matter is concerned to cast the vote, the Sharia does allow a woman to break the ‘Iddat’. The decree suggested that there must be an alternative and the Election Commission should address the issue and must consult courts.