Diverse candidates : Motley crew joins election race

Social media stars, members of intersex community have filed their nomination papers for upcoming general election

PESHAWAR:

For the first time in a long time in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), people apart from dynasts and nepotism babies are taking part in the general elections, a move which is being heralded as a much needed shift away from traditional or career politicians.

Whether it is down to the vacuum created due to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) being under fire or the populace finally giving up on tried and tested politicians, social media influencers, lawyers, members of religious minorities, and members of the intersex community have stepped in as alternatives to traditional politicians in K-P. For instance, Sandal Khattak, a social media star from Karak, who is popular for her TikTok videos, has submitted her nomination papers to contest for a K-P Assembly seat. While talking to The Express Tribune, Khattak said she had decided to contest elections to serve the public.

“If I win, my first priority will be to provide employment opportunities to the women of far flung areas in K-P by providing them technical skills,” the social media influencer asserted. Similarly, Sobia Khan, a representative of the intersex community in Peshawar, has submitted her paperwork to contest from Peshawar. Khan, who is also a well-known radio jockey, told the Express Tribune that it was time to put an end to mainstream political parties.

“Popular parties have done precious little for the rights of marginalised communities, therefore I am stepping into the electoral field to give a much needed voice to the intersex community,” a passionate Khan remarked. Khan, who identifies as male, further said that it did not matter to him if he won or lost but representing his community was the need of the hour and he was doing so by contesting elections. Concurring with Khan, Farah Khan, a lawyer, hailing from Charsadda, was of the view that mainstream political parties had nothing in common with the populace and did not understand the challenges that the populace presently faced.

Read: Woman candidates gear up for tough electoral battles

The lawyer, who will contest the upcoming elections from her hometown, further said that even though there were many obstacles for women trying to contest elections, especially in K-P, she was determined to win and carve out much needed space for women.

Dr Savera Prakash, who belongs to Buner District, and will contest on the Pakistan People’s Party’s (PPP) ticket, is in the same boat as the lawyer. “Apart from being a woman, I am also from a religious minority, so that makes campaigning tough but so far I have had great support from my community,” said Prakash.

If elected, Dr Prakash will be the first Hindu woman to win a provincial seat in the country. And this prospect excites her. “Politics is a great means of public service and I wish to serve my community to the best of my abilities,” she contended.

Commenting on the influx of non-politicians in K-P’s electoral field in the upcoming general election, Dr Shaheed Hussain Suhrawardy, a political scientist with a keen eye on the province’s politics, lauded the women, lawyers, members of religious minorities, and members of the intersex community who will contest elections. Dr Suharwardy, who is the Chairman of the Department of International Relations at the University of Peshawar, opined that it was in the better interest of the province that the populace was taking traditional politicians head on.

“Even if these non-politicians do not win their respective elections, they will carve out much needed space for their voices to be heard and for their rights to be taken seriously,” predicted Dr Suharwardy while talking to The Express Tribune.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 29^th, 2024.