ISLAMABAD: In the Saturday general elections in Pakistan, a notable participation of women candidates from various political parties has been observed.
According to the Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) report, a total of 275 female candidates are set to contest in general seats across the country, representing 111 political parties. This figure constitutes approximately 4.6 percent of the total candidates fielded, which amounts to 6,037 candidates in total.
As per Section 206 of the Elections Act, 2017, political parties are mandated to ensure a minimum of five percent representation of women candidates when selecting candidates for general seats in elective offices, including membership of the Majlis-e-Shoora (Parliament) and Provincial Assemblies.
FAFEN’s analysis, based on the List of Contesting Candidates (Form-33) for National and Provincial Assemblies, reveals that out of 111 political parties, 30 have met or exceeded this requirement, with four additional parties coming close with percentages between 4.50 and 4.99.
However, a significant portion of parties (77) have fallen short of this requirement, fielding less than 4.50 percent of women candidates in general seats. Notably, this discrepancy arises from the technical applicability of the provision, which applies to parties fielding at least 20 candidates on general seats.
The analysis further indicates variance in adherence to the five-percent provision across different elective bodies. For instance, in the National Assembly, 94 parties have nominated a total of 1,872 candidates, including 92 women (4.91 percent).
In contrast, the Punjab Assembly sees a lower representation, with 58 women out of 1,878 candidates (3.09 percent).
The Sindh Assembly fares relatively better with 59 women out of 948 candidates (6.22 percent), while for the Balochistan Assembly, only 19 women are contesting the elections, which makes up 3.56 percent of the total.
General Elections: KP Leads in Women’s Representation
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, unlike other provinces, has emerged as a leading province with 5.83 percent of the total. In KP, 44 parties have allocated tickets to 806 candidates for the provincial assembly, out of which 47 are women, making up 5.83 percent of the total.
The issue of compliance with the mandatory quota for female candidates has also attracted legal attention, with a petition filed in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) seeking action against political parties for non-compliance with Section 206 of the Elections Act, 2017.
The petition, brought forth by the Aurat Foundation, highlights disparities among political parties, noting that only PML-N and MQM-P have adhered to the five-percent quota for women candidates on general seats, whereas others have fallen short.
