Women aspirants contesting February 8 elections on PTI tickets, says divisional general secretary of women’s wing
- Nomination papers submitted by women aspirants on Imran’s advice.
- The candidates are contesting for the first time from Torghar, Kohistan.
- Nomination documents of all candidates approved by the ROs.
MANSEHRA: The ultra-conservative Kohistan and Torghar districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will now witness a diverse contest in the upcoming general elections on February 8 as Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has decided to field its candidates in the polls. News reported on Monday.
PTI women’s wing divisional general secretary Shakeela Rabbani said the party does not claim to be an advocate of women’s rights but has practically demonstrated its commitment to women empowerment as its aspirants have submitted their nomination papers on the advice of PTI founder Imran Khan.
“We have filed our nomination papers in Kohistan and Torghar districts,” Rabbani said, speaking to reporters on Sunday.
The candidate lists of Torghar and Kohistan constituencies for the first time in the country’s history included names of women aspirants and the nomination papers of all the candidates have been approved by their respective returning officers (RO).
Rabbani has been contesting general elections from the tribal belt of Mansehra NA-41 Torghar district, and the RO of that constituency gave him a clear charter to navigate the election campaign from here.
PTI divisional president (women’s wing) Uzma Riaz, who is also a former provincial legislator of her party, has been contesting the PK-31 Upper Kohistan elections.
His party’s other leaders, Tehmina Faheem and Rina Anwar, also filed their nomination papers from that constituency. PTI central governing body member Momina Basit is also a KP-33 candidate from Kolai-Palas (Kohistan) and her nomination papers have also been approved by the concerned RO.
Rabbani said her party was giving due importance to the problems faced by women in such remote areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
“We have the distinction of having our women’s chapter in Upper Kohistan which is a record and its president Rina Anwar, a daughter of the soil, is among the PTI’s likely list to find an opportunity to run from here,” he said. .
