A national affair at K-P Assembly: MPAs push for implementing minority job quota

Agree to continue interprovincial exchanges, increase women participation

PESHAWAR: MPAs of all four provinces agreed to continue interprovincial exchanges to increase political participation, and empower women and religious minorities. Lawmakers from Sindh, Balochistan and Punjab were in the house on Wednesday to attend a summit.

MPAs termed such exchanges as crucial for strengthening democracy in Pakistan, stated a handout.  MPAs of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), National Party (NP), Pakhtunkhwa Mili Awami Party (PkMAP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Functional (PML-F) were in the city for a two-day multiparty summit.

Acting Speaker Dr Mehar Taj Roghani said this was the first time in the history of K-P that members from all four provinces had gathered in the city; “this is the beauty of a federation”. On political participation of women, she said her nomination as deputy speaker was a step towards women empowerment.

MPAs Nusrat Saher Abbasi (Sindh), Ali Khokhar (Punjab), Nausheen Hamid (Punjab) and Amna Sardar (K-P) demanded the provincial governments continue to support such exchanges as they also give them a chance to understand the point of view of people from different regions.

Dr Mahesh Kumar Malani, who hails from Tharparkar, said he was the only directly elected member from a religious minority group in Pakistan. He added he had more Muslims supporters than Hindus in his constituency.



According to the visiting delegates, the 5% job quota for religious minorities should be implemented throughout the country including K-P. They pointed towards the need to continue efforts to improve the political participation of women, highlighting the K-P government appointed 10 women as parliamentary secretaries.

The visiting legislators also met with opposition parties of the K-P Assembly. MPA Amina Sardar and Sobia Khan of the PML-N, Uzma Khan from the JUI-F and others spoke on the role of the opposition in the K-P Assembly.

The visiting MPAs included Malik Mohammad Khokar (PML-N), Raheela Anwar (PTI), Dr Nausheen Hamid (PTI), Sardar Vickas Mokal (PML-Q), Dr Mahesh Malani (PPP), Kalsoom Chandio (PPP), Syed Hafizuddin (PTI), Shafi Jamot and Abdul Majid Abro (PML-N).

Published in The Express Tribune, February 25^th,  2016.