KARACHI: Many women candidates are contesting on general seats in the May 11 elections from different political parties in Sindh however, NA-225, Badin is the only constituency in the province where two women candidates will contest against each other.
Pakistan Muslim League-Functional (PML-F) has nominated Bibi Yasmin Shah on NA-225, Badin where Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) candidate former speaker national assembly, Dr Fahmida Mirza.Shah is the candidate of Pir Pagaro led PML-F but she also enjoys support of the 10-party electoral alliance.This constituency comprises two talukas of district Badin, Matli and Tando Bago. Shah was elected as senator during 2002.
PPP’s Fahmida Mirza is the wife of former Sindh Home Minister, Dr Zulfiqar Mirza, and PML-F’s Shah is married to former Sindh Population Minister Syed Ali Bux Shah alias Papu Shah.Shah’s husband is the PML-F’s candidate on PS-57, a provincial assembly constituency of district Badin comprising taluka, Tando Bago. Interestingly, Dr Fahmida’s son, Husnain Mirza, also a PPP candidate, will contest against Papu Shah in this constituency.In another interesting fight, a woman candidate from the PML-N, Marvi Memon will contest against foster brother of President, Asif Ali Zardari, Owais Muzaffar alias Tappi in Thatta.
Tappi is contesting the polls as a candidate of the PPP. Both are contesting on PS-88, a general seat of Sindh Assembly. Marvi’s party is also part of the 10-party electoral alliance led by the PML-F. Marvi is former MNA, and daughter of former federal information minister Nisar Memon.In Larkana a woman from PML-F, Mahtab Akbar Rashdi will contest against a heavyweight leader of PPP, Ayaz Soomro. Both are candidates on NA-204, a National Assembly constituency from Larkana district. Soomro is former Law Minister of Sindh, and Mahtab is a retired bureaucrat.
Women candidates will contest on around 20 general seats of the National and Provincial Assemblies from Sindh.PPP’s Faryal Talpur, Dr Azra Fazal Pechooho, Shazia Marri, Sassui Palijo are the party’s candidates from Larkana, Nawabshah, Sanghar, and Thatta respectively. Similarly, Sania Naz Baloch is also a PPP candidate who will contest on a provincial assembly constituency from Karachi, PS-109.PML-N’s Rahila Magsi is contesting from a National Assembly constituency of district Tando Allahyar, PML-Q’s Advocate Kalpana Devi, Salma Marri and Saifee Ali Khan from Larkana, Sanghar and Karachi respectively. While PTI and APML’s Zarina Sarwar, Iram Butt, Parveen and Rubina will contest from two constituencies in Karachi. Qaumi Awami Tahreek has fielded a female candidate, Wasandi Thari on a provincial assembly constituency from Tharparkar. – DailyTimes
