Pakistani land has extremely talented women working outside the home and challenging the stereotypes and conquering the cultural issues getting successes and gaining worldwide appreciation. From Pakistan’s first female fighter pilot to the youngest person in the world to win the Nobel peace prize, Pakistani Women have made this country proud of their accomplishments.
Like all other walks of life women are participating with enthusiasm in the oncoming General Election 2018. Female politicians are in the field side by side with male politicians and as many as 66 women candidates are ready to contest as independent while 105 women politicians are in the run with tickets under flagship of political party for national assembly general seats in the upcoming General Election (GE) 2018. This fact shows the record number of 171 women candidates are contesting for 272 national assembly general seats in the upcoming general elections.
While for the first time in the history of Pakistan, 25 women politicians to contest in general polls from Balochistan where seven (7) women will contest elections for seat in National Assembly (NA) whereas 18 women will contest elections for seat in Balochistan Assembly.
This time, more women are contesting on general seats than in any election in the past, facilitated by provision in the Elections Act 2017, which binds political parties to allocate at least five per cent tickets to women on general seats of national and provincial assemblies.
According to the list of National Assembly candidates announced by these parties so far, the PPP has fielded 12 (6.8%) are women. The PTI has given tickets to 14 women (5.7%), whereas the formerly ruling PML-N has fielded five (4%) are women.
However, the political parties only fulfilled the provision in order to meet international obligations even though some political parties awarded tickets to women candidates who are neither eligible nor active in the politics. If Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) makes it mandatory for the political parties to award tickets only to competent and self-motivated women than it can be lead towards a strong parliament and society as well.
It is also compulsory for election commission to take strict action against political parties which didn’t fulfill the provision and awarded less than five percent tickets to women candidates.
Society needs women to work with men side by side for the positive change and for a vibrant and prosper society. Active role of women in social and political scenario is need of time and a collective responsibility of every person in society.
Active role of women in social and political scenario is need of time.
