K-P society casts a long shadow on women aspirants
There are a total of 45 National Assembly constituencies in the 37 districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) province. However, not a single female candidate has filed nomination papers at 14 districts and 23 NA constituencies of the province for the February 8 general elections.
There are no female candidates in 15 districts and 60 constituencies of the K-P Assembly. The total number of general seats in the provincial legislature is 115. For the 45 constituencies of the National Assembly, there are 27 women in the field, with 12 women contesting independently.
There is one candidate each from the ANP, the PTI, the PTI-P, the QWP, the TLP, and the JI; three candidates of the PML-N (one woman contesting at two constituencies); two of the Markazi Muslim League (MML) and four candidates contesting elections on the ticket of the PPP.
The 14 districts where no female candidate is contesting for the National Assembly include Hangu, Orakzai, Swat, Dir Upper, Dir Lower, Bajaur, Buner, Shangla, Kohistan, Battagram, Mohmand, Khyber, Hangu, Kurram, and Tank.
Seventy women are running for seats in the K-P Assembly's 115 constituencies. These include 28 independent candidates.
There are three candidates from the JI, six from the PTI-P, six from the PPP, two from the MML; four from the ANP, four from the JUI; one from the PTI, two from the TLP, two from the QWP, one form Pakistan Rah-e-Haq Party, four from the PML-N, one from the Hazara Qaumi Mahaz, two from the Tehreek-e-Jawanan Pakistan, two from the National Democratic Movement and one candidate from the MWM.
The 15 districts from where no female candidate is contesting for the K-P Assembly elections are Chitral Lower, Swat, Bajaur, Malakand, Lower Kohistan, Bajaur, Mohmand, Khyber, Hangu, and Orakzai, North Waziristan, Lakki Marwat, Tank, Upper South Waziristan, and Lower South Waziristan.
ANP's former provincial minister and ex-Senator Sitara Ayaz is participating in the National Assembly elections independently from Swabi.
At the National Assembly constituency, NA-1 Chitral, there are two female candidates: Khadija Bibi from the ANP and independent candidate Syeda Memoona Shah.
The lone female candidate at NA-9 Malakand is Nazia Hassan, an independent, while the lone female candidate at NA-15 Mansehra/Torghar is Ambreen Faiz Shahzad, also an independent candidate.
At NA-16 Abbottabad, there are two candidates: Syeda Zainab Kazmi from the MWM and Noorul Ain from the PPP. At NA-17 Abbottabad-II, Yasra Bibi from the MML while at NA-18 Haripur, Faiza Bibi Rashid of the QWP are contesting elections.
From NA-19 Swabi, former minister Sitara Ayaz is contesting independently; from NA-21 Mardan, Lubna Faiyaz is contesting as an independent candidate; from NA-22 Mardan-2, Ambreen alias Hina, is contesting on the ticket of the TLP.
From NA-24 Charsadda-1, Shazia Tahmas of the PPP and Farah Khan of the PML-N are contesting. From NA-29 Peshawar-2, Sobia Shahid of the PML-N is contesting while from NA-30 Peshawar-3, Basmeeda of the MML and Shandana Gulzar of the PT are contesting.
From NA-31 Peshawar-4, Sobia Shahid of the PML-N is contesting. From NA-33 Nowshera-1 and NA-34 Nowshera-2, independent candidate Nadia Ambreen Khattak is contesting.
From NA-35 Kohat, Asia Asad is representing the PTI while independent candidate Nighat Parveen Afridi is also contesting.
At NA-38 Karak, Meher Sultana Advocate is representing the PPP; at NA-39 Bannu, Farzana Sherin is representing the PPP while Abida is an independent candidate at NA-40 North Waziristan.
At NA-41 Lakki Marwat, Naila Khan is an independent candidate. From NA-42 South Waziristan, former MNA Ayesha Gulalai is contesting as an independent candidate. Mahnaz Ali is an independent candidate at NA-44 DI Khan.
Bibi Latifa and Suriyya Bibi are contesting as independents at the K-P Assembly constituency PK-1 Chitral. At PK-11 Upper Dir, Taj Begum is contesting on the PTI-P ticket.
At PK-12 Upper Dir II, Zoriat Bibi is contesting on the PTI-P ticket. From PK-16 Dir Lower III, Samira Jan is contesting as an independent candidate.
From PK-25 Buner I, Sawera Parkash is contesting on the PPP ticket. At PK-30 Shangla III, former MPA Nadia Sher is contesting on the PTI ticket. From PK-31 Kohistan Upper, Tahmina Fahim is contesting as an independent candidate.
At PK-33 Kolai Palas, Mumina Basit is contesting on the PTI ticket. At PK-36 Mansehra I, Saima Bibi is contesting on the JUI ticket.
From PK-37 Mansehra II, Taazim Bibi is contesting on the TLP ticket, and Raqiya Bibi is contesting on the MML ticket.
From PK-39 Mansehra IV, Sajida Tabassum is contesting on the PPP ticket. From PK-40 Mansehra V, Sadiya Matloob is contesting on the MML ticket, and Dr Shahin Zameer is contesting on the ANP ticket.
From PK-41 Torghar, Shakeela Rabbani is contesting as an independent candidate. From PK-43 Abbottabad II, Bibi Shehnaz Raja is contesting on the PPP ticket, and Nazima Asif is contesting on the Hazara Qaumi Mahaz Pakistan ticket.
From PK-44 Abbottabad III, Ayesha Hamidullah is contesting on the JUI-F ticket.
From PK-45 Abbottabad IV, both Ambreen Younis Turk and Naimeh Shahin are contesting as independent candidates.
From PK-46 Haripur I, Shaista Khan is contesting on the PML-N ticket, Faiza Rashid on the QWP ticket, and Farazia Shahin on the ANP ticket.
From PK-47 Haripur II, Iram Fatima is contesting on the ANP ticket, Rukhsana Shahin on the QWP ticket, and Sadia Nadeem on the Pakistan Rah-e-Haq Party ticket. From PK-48 Haripur III, Raqiya Bibi is contesting on the JUI-F ticket, Saira Bibi is contesting as an independent while Shaista Naz is contesting on the PPP ticket.
Dr Ghazala Ata, the district president of the PPP, is contesting from PK-49 Swabi I. Yasmeen is an independent candidate at PK-52 Swabi IV. Hashmat Sultana is contesting as an independent candidate from PK-53 Swabi V, while Nazmia is contesting election from the constituency on the JUI-F ticket.
Leila Zaman is contesting as an independent candidate from PK-54 Mardan I. Lubna Faheem is contesting as an independent candidate from PK-55 Mardan II. Anila Shahzad is contesting From PK-56 Mardan III on the ticket of the PPP while Amberin alias Hina is contesting From PK-57 Mardan IV as a candidate of the ANP.
From PK-65 Charsadda IV, Farah Khan is contesting as PML-N candidate. Palwasha of the National Democratic Movement and Farah Khan from the PML-N are contesting from PK-66 Charsadda V. Shakira Shinwari is contesting on the ticket of the PTI-P from PK-69 Khyber I.
From PK-73 Peshawar II, Bushra is contesting as an independent candidate. From PK-75 Peshawar IV, Samreen Rashid is contesting on a ticket of the PML. From PK-76 Peshawar V, Sobia Shahid and Somi are respectively contesting on tickets of the PMl-N and the PTI.
From PK-79 Peshawar VIII, Rahma Sehr is contesting election on the ticket of the Tehreek-e-Jawanan Pakistan while Shaazia Azizand Shakira Gul are independent candidates. From PK-81 Peshawar X, Sameena Gul of the Tehreek-e-Jawanan Pakistan as well as two independents--Nazish Ali Awan and Noreen Aarif--are contesting.
From PK-82 Peshawar XI, Afshan Afridi is contesting as an independent candidate. From PK-83 Peshawar XII, Samra Arun Bilour from the ANP and Shumaila Tabassum, an independent, are contesting.
From PK-87 Nowshera III, Bibi Saeeda and Nadia Ambreen Khattak are contesting as independent candidates. From PK-89 Nowshera V, Nadia Ambreen Khattak is contesting as an independent candidate. From PK-90 Kohat I, Nazia Bibi from the Jamaat-e-Islami is contesting. From PK-92 Kohat III, Shahnila is contesting on the ticket of the JI while Farida Bukhari is an independent candidate.
From PK-95 Karak I, Farhana is contesting on the MWM ticket. From PK-98 Karak II, Kulsoom Munira Azad is contesting as an independent candidate. From PK-100 Bannu II, Anita Mahsood is contesting on the PTI ticket.
From PK-102 Bannu IV, Nadia Bibi is contesting as an independent candidate. From PK-111 DI Khan I, Fouzia Gul is contesting on the JI ticket. In PK-112 DI Khan II, and PK-113 DI Khan III, Mahnaz Ali is contesting as an independent candidate.
From PK-115 DI Khan V, Roshan Bibi is contesting as an independent candidate.