Seats for women: PPP wants new faces on reserved seats

KARACHI:

The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has finalised its list of women MPAs on reserved seats for the Sindh Assembly. 

According to the list made available, the PPP has replaced most of the old faces as only four or five women lawmakers of the outgoing assembly would continue as MPA for another term. Of the 16 reserved seats, the PPP had denied tickets to Humera Alwani, Farheen Mughal, Rai Naz Bozdar, Aisha Khoso, Shamim Ara Panhwar, Najma Chawala, Nargis ND Khan, Rashida Panhwar, Aisha Khoso, Farzana Baloch and Shama Arif Mitani.

Meanwhile, 28 names have been included on the party’s priority list, including Shagufta Jumani, Shehla Raza, Sharmila Farooqi, Kulsoom Chandio and others.

Talking to The Express Tribune, some of the MPAs expressed their reservations while some accepted the leadership’s decision. “I was one of the old guards of the PPP and was given tickets in 1988 and 2008,” said Rashida Panhwar, a member of the outgoing assembly. “I have no reservation if our party has not allotted me ticket this time around. I think new talent should be given a chance.”

Former Sindh law minister Ayaz Soomro explained the formula behind reserved seats for women and minorities. “The reserved seats for women and minority MPAs are based on the general seats a party secures in the elections. We had 16 women and five minority MPAs in the last assembly. This means around 12.5 general members were required for one minority seat and three to four for women reserved seats.” He said, however, that the list of women and minority MPAs is not final and the party would announce its decision soon.

The party has also finalised its list of women MNAs on reserved seats. Faryal Talpur and Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho, sisters of President Asif Ali Zardari, are on the top of the priority list of 16 women candidates of the party. Shagufta Jumani is also part of this priority list and is likely to be selected. The other female MNAs include Nafisa Shah, Shazia Atta Marri, Mahreen Bhutto,  Mrs Ali Zia, Musrat Mahesar, Shahida Rehmani, Suriya Jatoi, Shazia Sobia Soomro, Nargis ND Khan, Nadia Khuhro, Kausar Aamir and Shama Arif Mitiani.

Priority list

Following are some of the 28 names shortlisted for the party’s MPAs:

Shagufta Jumani (also on MNA list)

Shehla Raza (deputy speaker)

Sharmila Farooqi (former adviser)

Erum Khalid

Nusrat Sultana

Kulsoom Chandio

Shahnaz Ansari

Rehana Leghari

Shama Mumtaz

Sanjeela Leghari

Rukhsana Shah

Shaheena Sher

Ghazala Siyal

Rubina Qaimkhani

Saira Shahliani

Seema Soomro

Khairunisa

Falak Naz

Tauqeer Fatima Bhutto

Shabana Malik

Khalida Mandhro

Zahida Memon

Rehana Bhutto

Musarat Niazi

Published in The Express Tribune, April 5^th, 2013.