The federal cabinet announced on Tuesday two important decisions, one good - though inadequate - and the other plain bad. The good news is that the government has finally realized the need to improve women's participation in elections both as candidates and voters. Political parties will be required to allot five percent tickets in general elections to their female members, which would be a significant step forward from the tokenism of reserved quotas to real representation. In a related move, the Election Commission is to ensure at least ten percent of the registered female voters exercise their right to vote in every constituency.
It may be recalled that the 1973 Constitution introduced reserved seats for women for a ten-year period or until the holding of three general elections, whichever came later. The idea of course was that during this period conditions will improve, allowing more and more women to come into their own and play their due role in national affairs. But before that constitutional provision could run its course, General Ziaul Haq staged his coup. And in line with his various anti-women policies, quashed women's reserved seats when he held the non-party based elections to Majlis-e-Shoora. After his unlamented demise the issue fell by the wayside as the PPP and the PML-N, alternating in power during 1988-99, spent much of their time and energy in settling scores with one another. General Pervez Musharraf's military regime reintroduced the reserved seats enhancing women's representation to 33 percent at all levels, from the National Assembly all the way down to local bodies. That was part of his 'enlightened moderation' policy to impress his Western backers rather than a sincere effort to have women play a meaningful role in politics. He never missed an opportunity to claim credit for it while addressing Western audiences.
In reality, it has hardly been an 'enlightened' step. Barring a few example the reserved seats have routinely been used by party leaders to favour relatives or friends with no known record of public service. Women activists who could ably represent their parties in the assemblies remain ignored. Leaders like to keep the reserved seats to look good as defenders of the women's cause, and also because these MNAs and MPAs owe loyalty to them. But those who enter the assemblies on the basis of personal connections rather than political commitment do no service to women's cause. Most of them lack understanding of important issues and interest in legislative business. These 'women's representatives' end up perpetuating anti-women biases in society.
It is about time women get to contest elections like their fellow male colleagues. Admitted, that under the present socio-economic conditions women may not be in a position to claim their rightful place in assemblies and decision making bodies. But much welcome as the decision is to have the parties allocate five percent tickets to female candidates, it is far too small. When the proposal comes before Parliament for approval, hopefully, it will be raised to at least 20 percent. People generally tend to vote on party basis. There are several examples of women winning general seats even in conservative rural/small town constituencies when contesting on party tickets. Same can happen in urban centres as well. It is worthwhile to recall that in the last elections, a little known PTI candidate, Dr Yasmin Rashid, gave a good fight to two-time prime minister Nawaz Sharif in Lahore obtaining 52,321 votes against his 91,666 votes.
The bad news is that the federal cabinet dropped the Fata reforms package from its agenda, drawing an angry response from both sides of the aisle in the National Assembly, especially from tribal areas' MNAs. The proposed reforms that include various development schemes are part of the National Action Plan. The sticking point at present is the future status of Fata. Majority opinion supports merger with KP. As a furious Khyber Agency MNA Shah Jee Gul Afridi pointed out, the jirga that met last Monday at Islamabad's Convention Centre had sent a clear message when it demanded merger with KP. Along with Fata members, the PTI, ANP and Qaumi Watan Party all want the same thing. But two PML-N allies, JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, and Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party chairman, Mehmood Khan Achakzai, are pushing for a separate province for separate reasons.
The Maulana is vehemently opposed to merger and has been calling for a referendum. On the face of it that looks like a democratic suggestion but not so considering that the situation on the ground shows an uneven playing field. While the JUI-F has been free all these years to establish seminaries in the troubled tribal areas and enhance its influence there, the mainstream parties could not even enter Fata. Then there are tribal maliks who think they would lose their privileged positions within a larger KP. The odds therefore are against the mainstream parties. Achakzai comes from a different angle. A life-long advocate of a separate Pakthun province, he sees this as an opportunity to fulfill his old dream. Prime Minster Mian Nawaz Sharif seems to be dithering because he does not want to lose his two allies at a time he needs every support he can get. And hence has left the issue hanging in the air. The long-term well being of the people of Fata and security of the region call for mainstreaming the tribal areas. The old antiquated influence structures need to go. Mian Sahib should act in the longer-term interest of the region rather than to keep his allies on side.
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