PESHAWAR, Dec 29: The demand of rights activists about awarding 10 per cent quota to women candidates in the general elections got a lukewarm response from the legislators 'elected' on reserved seats.

At a consultation here on Thursday, women lawmakers made it clear that their respective parties had no policy to support the demand seeking 10 per cent general seats for female candidates in the polls. The consultation was organised by Aurat Foundation, a non-governmental organisation.

“As there is no restriction, which bars women from taking part in general election, our party feels that giving quota to them will block the way of its members, who want to contest election,” said Musarrat Shafi, an MPA from the ruling Awami National Party.

She added that Begum Naseem Wali Khan contested general election and won her seat several times on the ticket of ANP. “In our party male and female members are equal,” she said.

Ms Shafi said that her party leaders would be in a better position to decide whether 10 per cent quota should be allocated for women in general elections.

Shazia Tehmas, an MPA from PPP, also said that her party's stance about the demand of 10 per cent quota for women in general elections was unclear. However, she said that women in her party were so empowered that they had contested elections on general seats in the past.

Naeema Kishwar, former MPA from JUI-F and president of women wing of her party, said that first women lawmakers on reserved seats should be strengthened. The political parties should support women candidates gradually to encourage them to take part in the general elections.

She said that all the women, who had won general elections, belonged to political families.

“Women need a lot of financial and moral support of their families and parties to work for their constituencies first on reserved seats and then they could be supported to contest elections on general seats,” Ms Kishwar said.

The rights activists had proposed that political parties should award 10 per cent tickets to women candidates in those constituencies where they could win easily.

However, some of the MPAs from various political parties on reserved seats complained about discrimination against them in utilisation of development funds.

“We get only 30 per cent of our development funds and the rest goes to the district president of the party. People then give less importance to women MPAs as compared to their male colleagues as we don't fulfil their demands,” said Dr Yasmin Jaseem of ANP.

Shabina Ayaz, resident director of AF, said that women on reserved seats were often criticised for being powerless but no one questioned the performance of those male lawmakers, who never even stood up to speak in the assembly.

She said that demand for 10 per cent quota in the general elections was made as it was already in practice in 33 countries. “We demand that women should be given 10 per cent quota in general elections and they should be allowed to contest on winnable seats,” said Ms Ayaz. The organisation also demanded that local bodies' elections should be held as soon as possible and 33 per cent representation of women should be ensured at each tier of the local government.