A total of 55 women candidates are participating on 20 National and 35 provincial assembly seats of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) in the upcoming general elections.
Such a huge number of women are participating on general seats first time in country's history. KP and Fata have 47 National and 99 provincial assembly seats.
Political parties have reposed confidence on women candidates and awarded them tickets. A predominant majority of women have submitted their nomination papers as covering candidates. Many women are participating in the elections as independent candidate.
Candidates including Asma Alamgir, Fiza Tariq, Tabana, Anila Shaheed, Najma Zaib, Shazia Aurangzeb, Mumlakat Bashir, Khurshid Begum, Nusrat Anjum, Rabia, Irum Fatima, Noor ul Huda, Musarrat Shaheen, Hazrat Bibi, Maqbool Bibi, Nusrat Begum, Saadia Jan and Badam Zari will participate from Bajaur Agency are in the run for National Assembly.
For Provincial Assembly seats Yasmin Sherazi, Asma Alamgir, Robina Shaheen, Dilbara, Samina Naz, Emarat Khan, Nusrat Azad, Zeenat Begum, Mehr Gul, Musarrat Shafi, Shagufta Begum, Mehr
Sultana, Farzana Mushtaq, Naeema Shaheen, Sajida Masood, Faiza Bibi, Syeda Bukhtawar Shah, Noor ul Ain, Raasia Dawood, Arsheed Bibi, Gulshan Bibi, Napaid Bukhari, Shaheena Khan, Yasmin Bibi, Syeda Batool Nasir, Gulana Bibi, Amber Jan, Hazrat Bibi, Yasmir Zia, Bukhtawar Ali, Hafiqa, Asma Mehmood and Fazla Akbar are among the participating candidates. In past women were also used to participate in the elections from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa including former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, Begum Nasim Wali Khan, Musarrat Shaheen, Ghazala Habib Tanoli etc.
Nasim Wali Khan is not participating in the elections this time due to advance age.
According to latest statistics of women voters issued by ECP, a total of 5,257,624 female voters have been registered in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. In Fata, 596,079 women voters.