ISLAMABAD: More than 50 women candidates are in the field contesting the National Assembly (NA) general seats, of them, some had achieved access to the House by winning elections on general seats earlier also.
Election Commission (EC)’s final list showed that 35 women candidates were in the race on NA general seats in Punjab, in Sindh 13, in Balochistan 2 and in Frontier 1 besides in Islamabad 2 women are contesting for NA-48 seat.
People’s Party, Pakistan Muslim League, Awami National Party, Muttahida Qaumi Movement and Muslim League-N have awarded tickets to these women, of them, those being member of the NA earlier also included Benazir Bhutto, Raffat Javed Kahlone, Zubaida Jalal, Tahmina Daulatana, Hina Rabbani Khar, Begum Abida Hussain and Ghulam Bibi Bharwana, while Khushbakht Shujaat and Ghanwa Bhutto are for the first time participating in the elections.
EC list further said that Fauzia Behram in Punjab contesting on Attock NA-57 and Chakwal NA-60, Begum Malik Shoaib Awan on Sagodha-3 NA-66, Rahila Perveen on Faisalabad NA-78, Mahwash Chaudhry Advocate on Faisalabad-10 NA-84, Syeda Sughra Imam, Ghulam Bibi Bharwana on Jhang-2 NA-87, Begum Syeda Abida Hussain on Jhang-3 NA-88, Saima Akhtar Bharwana on Jhan-5 NA-90, Farkhanda Amjad Waraich on Tobateksingh-1 NA-92, Dr. Sadia Mumtaz Daulatana on Tobateksingh-3 NA-94, Aasma Shahnawaz Cheema on Gujrnawala NA-101, Saira Afzal Tarar on Hafizabad-2 NA-102, Firdaus Ashique Awan on Sialkot-2 NA-111, Samra Naz on Narowal-1 NA-115, Suraiyya Asghar on Narowal-2 NA-116, Raffat Javed Kahlone on Narowal-3 NA-117, Saeeda Nazar on Sheikhupura-1 NA-131, Saeeda Nazar on Sheikhupura-2 NA-132, Nurul Aain NA-134, Uzma Wasim, Nilofar Qasim Mehdi Kasur-2 NA-139, Nasira Arshad on Kasur-5 NA-142, Shahnaz Javed on Sahiwal-4 NA-163, Begum Tahmina Daulatana on Vehari NA-168 and 169, Shamoon Ambreen Qaisarani on D.G. Khan-1 NA-171, Mina Ehsan Laghari on D.G. Khan-3 NA-173 and former federal minister Hina Rabbani Khar on Muzaffargarh-2 NA-177.
In the province of Sindh, 13 women contesting NA general seats, which include: Ghanwa Bhutto on Larkana NA-204, Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto on Shahdadkot, Ratodero NA-207, Maleeha Malik on Jacobabad NA-208, Uzra Afzal Pechoho on Nawabshah NA-213, Adeeba Gul Magsi and Shamshad Sattar Bachani on Tando Allahyar cum Matiari, old Hyderabad NA-223, Bibi Yasmeen Shah and Dr. Fahmida Mirza on Badin cum Tando Muhammad Khan NA-225, Rasheedan Akhtar Phanwar on old Dadu-2 NA-232, Hir Soho on Thatta NA-238, Farah Awan Advocate on Karachi-5 NA-243, Khushbakht Shujaat on Karachi-12 NA-250 and Shazia Batool on Karachi-18 NA-256.