PESHAWAR, Oct 6: Leadership of almost all the major political parties has allotted tickets for the reserved seats for women either to their own family members or writers and human rights activists.

Most parties are dominated by feudal lords, who are trying to keep political power inside their families. They have put up their wives, daughters or nieces for the reserved seats.

They have no concrete programmes for the betterment of the womenfolk. Instead of empowering women in general, they have always tried to empower their own family members.

There are 260 candidates for the 60 reserved seats in the National Assembly. Besides fresh faces, many candidates are political and social activists.

“The elections on the women’s seats will be on proportionate basis and each political party will get the seats reserved for the women according to the seats secured in the general election,” the election commission has said.

The priority lists submitted by the political parties to the election commission shows that there are some of the old familiar faces contesting for the reserved seats.

Zaib Gohar Ayub, wife of Gohar Ayub Khan, is a new entrant in the national politics. However, her family is one of the oldest political families of the province. She is related to the Saifullah family of Lakki Marwat. Her two paternal uncles, Yousuf Khan Khattak and Aslam Khan Khattak, played long innings in the politics.

The Pakistan Muslim League (Q) has allotted her a ticket for a reserved seat. Her son, Omar Ayub, is running for NA-19, Haripur. The family knows how democracy works in the country.

Naheed Khan, PPP chairperson’s political secretary, is a well-known political worker. She contested the 1997 election against Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed from Rawalpindi. She lost the seat with a short margin. Naheed Khan is the wife of former senator Safdar Ali Abbasi from Larkana.

The Pakistan People’s Party has awarded tickets to Fouzia Behram (Chakwal), Embassat Khan (Lahore), Nargas Awan, wife of Qazi Sultan Mehmood, general-secretary of the PPP (Rawalpindi); Sherbano Sherry, former editor of Herald, and Fouzia Wahab.

Begum Salma Ahmad of the PML-F is an industrialist and well-known social worker. She served in the military regime of Gen Ziaul Haq. Memoona Javed Hashmi, wife of detained Javed Hashmi, is also contesting for a reserved seat.

Tehmina Daultana of the PML-N belongs to a well-known family of Vehari. Politics runs in the family as her cousin, Shahida Daultana of the PPP, is contesting against her for a general seat from the same constituency.

Mehnaz Rafi of PML-Q has spent many years in the Tehrik-i-Istaqlal and later in the PML-N. She is also a renowned social worker. Dr Hajra Tariq Aziz, medical practitioner and wife of Neelam Ghar compere Tariq Aziz, has been awarded a ticket by the PML-Q.

Shahzadi Umer Zadi Tiwana (PML-Q) of Khushab belongs to a feudal family, which has a long political track. Her family was a strong pillar of the Unionist Party.

Prof Afzal Tauseef of the Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaaf, is a columnist and a women’s rights activist. She is famous for her progressive writings. Sumera Malik, Ayela Malik and Mina Laghari of the Grand National Alliance belong to two big feudal families. Sumera Malik and Ayela Malik belong to the family of Nawab of Kalabagh.

Alia Imam, an old political activist, has been given a ticket by the National Alliance. Ms Imam is known for her progressive and anti-fedual views among the political circles of Karachi. She started her political career from the platform of the National Awami Party. Later, she joined hands with Benazir Bhutto.

Nuzhat Pathan (PPP) has been working with the HRCP. She is an advocate in Hyderabad.

Kishwar Sultana, wife of Muttahida Qaumi Movement leader Sheikh Liaqat Hussain, has worked with the PML-F. She and her son, Aamir Liaquat Hussain, are contesting on MQM tickets.