Record number of female candidates to contest in upcoming general elections

This year’s general elections scheduled on July 25 is likely to bring more female politicians to the mainstream than ever after major political parties awarded tickets to women candidates.

Pakistan Muslim League- Nawaz (PML-N), Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) and Awami National Party (ANP) have allotted more party tickets to their female candidates for general seats in the upcoming elections.

PML-N

PML-N is nominating 11 women candidates who will contest the upcoming general elections.

Amongst these candidates are Nazo Dharejo from Benazirabad. Dharejo is contesting for the NA-214 (Benazirabad II) seat, on the PML-N’s ticket.

The PML-N has also awarded a ticket for NA-220 to a Hindu woman, Neelam Walji, the first woman to contest the general elections from Umerkot, Walji is also contesting for the PS-52 (Umerkot) seat.

Sorath Thebo, a senior leader of the party, who also served as MPA on a reserved seat until recently, will now be contesting from PS 83, Dadu.

Similarly, Asifa Riaz is contesting from PS 65 Hyderabad against Saleem Arain of PPP, while Mariam Bai has been awarded the ticket for PS-51 Umerkot.

Sughra Lashari is contesting from PS-2 Jacoababad. While Rizwana Araen from PS-7 Badin.

Bushra Shaikh from PS-4 (Kahmore) and Bakhtawar Rahim is contesting from PS-82, Kotri Jamshoro.

PPP

PPP also allotted the same number of party tickets to female candidates as PML-N.

Faryal Talpur, sister of PPP co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari, is contesting from PS-10 Larkana.

Another sister of Zardari, Azra Pechuho, is contesting from PS-37, Benazirabad.

Dr. Nafisa Shah, who just finished her tenure as an MNA on a reserved seat, has now been awarded a ticket to contest the polls from NA-208, Khairpur.

She has also earlier served as Khairpur’s nazim during the tenure of General Pervez Musharraf.

Shehla Raza, the former deputy speaker of the Sindh Assembly, has been fielded by the party to contest from NA-243. Shazia Marri, who emerged victorious in NA-216, Sanghar, will contest the elections from the same seat.

Naz Baloch, is contesting for the provincial assembly seat, PS-127 (District Central, Karachi). Shamsun Nisa Memon has been awarded the ticket for Thatta’s NA-232, while Dr. Shahida Rehmani is contesting on PS-147 in District Central,

Shamim Mumtaz who recently served as an advisor to CM on social welfare department will contest on PS-124 (District Central),

Gule Rana on PS-94 and Rafia Abbasi is contesting on PS-95, Korangi.

ANP

In a surprising turn of event Awami National Party known for is Pashtun Nationalist drive has also nominated five female candidates from Sindh – two for the National Assembly and three for the provincial legislature.

A Christian woman from North Nazimabad Sofia Yaqoob and a long-serving worker of the ANP, has been awarded the party ticket for NA-256. which covers Paposh Nangar, Nusrat Bhutto Colony, Sakhi Hasan and Hussain D’Silva Town.

ANP has also awarded NA tickets to Shazia Razzaque Khan to contest from NA-244 Samina Huma Mir from NA-245,

Whereas tickets for PS-82 and PS-103 have been awarded to Shahnaz Noor and Masoomah Tareen respectively.

MQM

Alike other political parties, MQM has nominated four female candidates that are: Kishwar Zehra for NA-242, Nazia Noor for PS 94, Saman Jafferi for PS 104 and Afshan Ahmed for PS 112.

The PTI is yet to make any announcement in this regard.