As many as 16 female candidates have already been elected to the National Assembly and provincial assemblies on general seats. However, the number is relatively less as compared to general elections of 2008 as 26 female members had been elected five years ago.
According to the data provided by The Researchers (TR), Pakistan Governance Forum (PGF) and Women and Politics in Asia Forum (WPAF), which jointly undertook observation of the May 11 elections, with a gender lens, 150 women filed nomination papers at National level from 111 constituencies of which 60 were on party tickets. At provincial levels, 313 women filed nomination papers from 213 constituencies of which 115 were party ticket holders.
A complete report focusing on the performance of women in pre-poll, poll day and post-poll phases would be launched as soon as the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) compiled election results and government formation was completed.
In the 2008 general elections, 16 women joined the National Assembly and 10 won on provincial assembly seats. In this year’s elections, up till now, six women , three each from Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) have made it to the National Assembly and 10 to the four provincial assemblies – eight in Punjab, one each in Sindh and Balochistan assemblies whereas no women could win a general seat in Khyber Pakhtunkhawa.
Interestingly, Sumera Malik, Ghulam Bibi Bharwana, Dr Azra Afzal Peechuho and Dr Fehmida Mirza made a hat-trick by winning their seats in the National Assembly since 2002. Whereas, two former members of the Punjab Assembly – Nazia Raheel and Naghma Mushtaq – were re-elected.
Sumaira Malik has won from NA-69 Khushab on PML-N ticket securing 118,108 votes. In 2008, Sumaira Malik had won on PML-Q ticket securing 61,076 votes. Ghulam Bibi Bharwana has again won from NA-88 Jhang on a PML-N ticket bagging 87,002 votes. She had been elected on PML-Q platform in 2008 securing 63,515 votes from NA-87 Jhang.
Saira Afzal Tarar has won from NA-102 Hafizabad on PML-N ticket, getting 93,013 votes. She had gotten 56,313 votes from the same constituency in 2008.
Faryal Talpur has won on a PPP ticket from NA-207, Larkana, bagging 83,916 votes. She was elected un-opposed in 2008. Her other sister, Dr Azra Afzal Peechuho has been re-elected from NA-213 Nawabshah on PPP ticket winning 111,667 votes. She had bagged 108,096 in 2008.
Dr Fahmida Mirza has been re-elected from NA-225 Badin on PPP ticket by clinching 110,684 votes. She had won in 2008 by securing 88,983 votes.
Among the winners Sumaira Malik of NA-69 Khushab I, wining by a margin of 38,253, has bagged the highest number of votes with an estimated voter turnout of 61.72 percent in her constituency. The lowest win has come on 83,916 votes by Faryal Talpur of NA-207 who won by a margin of 63,438 in a constituency where voter turnout was 54.24 percent. The lowest winning margin is of 18,152 votes for Ghlam Bibi Bharwana from NA- 88 Jhang-Chinniot where the voter turnout was 64.54 percent, which is the highest among the six women winning constituencies.
In provincial assembly seats, Dr Nadia Aziz won from PP-34 Sargodha on a PML-N ticket, securing 33,744 votes. In year 2008, she had won from PPP. PP-53 Faisalabad was taken by Iffat Miraj Awanof the PML-N by securing 44,018 votes.
Rashida Yakoob has won from PML-N from PP-78 Jhang clinching 42,194. Nazia Raheel has won from PML-N platform at PP-88 Toba Tek Singh, winning 36,622 votes. From PP-101 Gujranwala, Riaz Amanat Ali Virik has won on the PML-N ticket, winning 24,413 votes.
From PP-116 Mandi-Bahuddin, Hameeda Waheeduddin has won on the PML-N ticket, winning 52,712 votes. Last time she had won on a PML-Q ticket securing 19,638 votes. From PP-Okara, Samina Noor has won on the PML-N ticket getting 26,621. From PP-206 Multan, Naghma Mushtaq Lang has won from the PML-N ticket, securing 43,050 votes. She had won from PML-Q last time bagging 28,109 votes.
In Sindh Assembly Saniya has won on the PPP platform winning 53,926 votes from PS-109 Karachi,
In Balochistan Assembly, PB-26 Jaffarabad was taken by Rahat Jamali of the PML-N, who bagged 12,521 votes.
Among the winners of provincial assemblies, Saniya of PS-109 Karachi won by a margin of 44,054 votes besides bagging the highest number of votes 53,926 casted with estimated voter turnout of 49.17 percent for her constituency. Rahat Jamali of PB-26 Jaffarbad secured 12,521 votes, which is the lowest number of votes taken among the winners. She won by a margin of 5,758 in a constituency where voter turnout was estimated to be 40.25 percent. Whereas, the lowest winning margin was 1,859 votes of Rashida Yakoob from PP-78 Jhang II; where the voter turnout has been 51.93 percent.
One thing is clear from these results, Punjabi voters voted for the party as it did not matter where the candidates had come from before joining the PML-N. Personal reputations had also not mattered.
