ISLAMABAD: In what is the highest number of women candidates in Pakistan’s electoral history, as many as 171 women candidates will be in the run against 272 general seats of the National Assembly across the country.

According to an analysis of the complete list of candidates for the coming general elections slated to be held on July 25, 105 women have been awarded party tickets while another 66 will be contesting as independent candidates.

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The number of women candidates in 2013 elections was 135 with the number of independent candidates higher than those of party ticket holders — 74 and 61, respectively. In 2008 elections the number of women candidates was as low as 72, including 41 party ticket holders and 31 independents.

105 of them have party tickets; PPP has fielded highest number of women candidates among all parties

This time the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has awarded the maximum number of tickets (19) to women candidates — 11 in Punjab, five in Sindh and three in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) has awarded 14 tickets to women candidates — eight in Punjab and six in Sindh. The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) has fielded 11 women candidates — seven in Punjab and four in Sindh. The Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) has given tickets to 11 women — five in Punjab, three in Sindh, two in KP and one in Balochistan.

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The number of women candidates fielded by the Allah-o-Akbar Tehreek (AAT) and the National Party (NP) in Punjab is three each. The All Pakistan Muslim League (APML) has two women candidates. The Awami National Party, the PTI- Gulalai, the PML-Q and nine little known parties have also fielded one candidate each.

The number of independent women candidates in Punjab is 44.

Prominent among those contesting for general seats are Maryam Nawaz, daughter of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif (NA-127), Sumaira Malik (NA-93) and Begum Tehmina Daultana (NA-164) of the PML-N, Asma Alamgir ((NA-27), Mehreen Anwar Raja (NA-57) and Samina Khalid Ghurki (NA-132) of the PPP and Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan (NA-72) and Dr Yasmeen Rashid (NA-125) of the PTI.

Ayesha Gulalai, who has her own faction of the PTI, will be contesting election from four constituencies in KP, Punjab, Islamabad and Sindh — NA-25, NA-53, NA-161 and NA-231.

The total number of women candidates in Sindh is 46, including 16 independents. In the province, the MMA has awarded tickets to six women candidates, PPP to five, PTI to four, PML-N, Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP) and Grand Democratic Alliance to three each and ANP to two women candidates.

In KP, the total number of women candidates is 15, including three independents. The PPP has awarded tickets to three women candidates, followed by two each by PML-N and ANP and one each by PML-Q, PTI-G, Tehrik-i-Labbiak Pakistan (TLP), PSP and Pakistan Justice and Democratic Party led by former chief justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry.

The PTI has not awarded a single party ticket to a woman candidate in KP. Ali Begum Khan is the only woman contesting election from the tribal districts.

In Balochistan, as many as seven women candidates will be contesting election for National Assembly’s general seats. They include two independents, two from the NP and one each from the Balochistan National Party-Mengal, BNP-Awami and PML-N.

There are many constituencies where the number of women candidates is more than one. In NA-54 (Islamabad) four women candidates — Fatima Malik, Saima Sheraz, Maimoonah and Nousheen Gul Kharal — are in the run. Likewise, four candidates – Allah Rakhi (PPP), Saira Tarar (PML-N), Fahmida Kausar (MMA) and Sadia Liaquat Abbasi (independent) — are face to face in NA-87 (Hafizabad). There are four women candidates contesting elections from NA-90 as well.

Published in Dawn, July 6th, 2018