In Karachi West, few women challenge male hegemony at the grassroots

The district is one of the most diverse in the city

KARACHI:

In Pakistan’s predominantly patriarchal society, the stove is generally associated with the kitchen. On the streets of Karachi’s Mawach Goth, however, it has become a symbol of change.

It is the election symbol of a woman, Shaheena, who is vying for one of the six seats for members of the district council from Karachi West.



The district houses the second largest rural population after district Malir, which has 32 district council’s seats.

Instead of spending her days in the kitchen, Shaheena has taken her stove to the streets of Union Council 2, where she is campaigning for the upcoming local bodies election scheduled for December 5. She is the only female contestant vying for district council membership.

There are few female contestants who have dared to challenge the prevalent social taboos. Fareeda is among these resolute few and will contest for the general councillor’s seat from Bhutta Village in Keamari. Riffat Khatoon, another female candidate from district West, is also in the run for the general councillor’s seat. Fielded by the Jamaat-e-Islami, Khatoon is contesting from Chishti Nagar, falling within Union Council-2.



In the busy streets of the Sector 15 in Korangi, yet another female candidate is preparing to challenge the vote bank of the male contestants. Aleemun Nisa is vying for the general councillor’s seat as an independent candidate from Ward No 4.

These four brave women, like many others, are novices when it comes to politics. But they have dared to take the plunge.

Politically diverse

District West comprises four former towns - part of Keamari, Orangi, Baldia and SITE. All have their own political dynamics, according to journalist and political analyst, Ziaur Rehman.

The district has pockets dominated by different ethnic groups such as the Urdu- and Pashto-speaking population as well as those loyal to political parties such as the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam - Fazlur Rehman (JUI-F) and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI), he explained.



In what was formerly Keamari Town, the contest is mainly between the PTI and the Pakistan Peoples Party. In Orangi and Baldia, where the Urdu-speaking population is in majority, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) is competing with the two-party alliance of JI and PTI.

In Pakhtoon-dominated SITE Town, the competition is between the two-party alliance of JI and PTI and the tri-partite alliance of Awami National Party, PPP and JUI-F.

Overall statistics

According to the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) records, district West has the highest number of candidates across the city. The district comprises 52 constituencies that stretch from the Keamari to Quaidabad and Ibrahim Hydery to Surjani. Initially, 2,004 nomination forms were filed, of which 1,971 were accepted by the ECP.



Following the rejections and withdrawals, a total of 1,412 candidates have been qualified to contest for the six seats of chairman, as many seats of vice-chairman, 24 seats of general councilors and six district members from six union councils. Besides, they will also contest for the 46 seats of chairman, as many for vice-chairman and 184 seats of general councilors in 46 union committees.



Elected unopposed

Thirteen candidates have been elected unopposed on general councillor’s seats in seven union councils. Moreover, the chairman and vice-chairman in Ward No 20 of UC-20 have been elected unopposed. All of these candidates belong to the MQM, except one general councilor from UC-41, who contested independently.

Second-largest vote bank

All the political, religious and nationalist parties have set their eyes on district West, which also houses the second largest vote bank in the metropolis.

There are total of 1,530,579 registered voters, of whom 930,369 are male and 600,210 are female. To facilitate the voters, the election authorities will set up 947 polling stations across the district - 375 for males, 340 for females and 232 combined. ECP officials told The Express Tribune that there will be 947 presiding officers, 3,336 assistant presiding officers and 3,156 polling officers. Apart from this, 340 Naib Qasid will be deployed at female polling stations.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 2^nd,  2015.