ISLAMABAD: As many as 305 female candidates will contest on general seats of National Assembly in the election scheduled to be held on July 25, according to Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
45 political parties out of a total of 107 have awarded tickets to female candidates to fulfil legal obligation of allocating five per cent seats to women under the Election Act, 2017.
The provision of five per cent ticket allocation to women is incorporated in the Election Act, 2017, which was passed by the last government. It is aimed at encouraging women’s active participation in the national politics.
As per the analysis of form-33 released by the ECP on its official portal, as many as 60 females are in the field as independent candidates.
Almost 55 political parties participating in the upcoming elections have not awarded a ticket to any female candidate due to the required numbers of proportionate to male candidates. As many as 25 political parties have crossed the threshold of five per cent that includes major political parties.
National Party (NP) with 12 per cent women candidates is atop followed by the Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP) with 8.12 per cent, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) 6.6 percent, Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) 5.7 per cent, Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) 5.6 per cent and Pakistan Tehreek-e- Insaf (PTI) 5.4 per cent.
The seven political parties remained at 5 per cent in the award of tickets to women in order to observe the mandatory clause. They are Balochistan Awami Party (BAP), Qaumi Watan Party (QWP), Pakistan Justice and Democratic Party (PJDP), Pakistan Awami Raj (PAR), Jannat Pakistan Party (JPP) Aaman Taraqi Party (ATP) and Jamote Qaumi Party (JQP).
