Peshawar- Speakers at a seminar on Saturday demanded equal share for women politicians in key positions at provincial and federal levels.
Women political leaders belonging to main political parties reiterated that all political parties of the country should acknowledge the contribution and dedication of women in elections 2013.
They said this while speaking at the 3rd WILL Women’s Leadership Forum here.
The WILL Forum was jointly organised by Search for Common Ground Pakistan and PAIMAN Alumni Trust as part of their nationwide ‘Women’s Initiative for Learning and Leadership (WILL)’ campaign to celebrate achievements of women political leaders and to share their pre- and post-elections vision, experiences, insights, needs, challenges and successes.
Representatives of PML-N, PTI, PPP, PML (Q), ANP and LPP with 23 aspiring women politicians, ex-councillors and ex-MPAs attended the Forum. Prominent among them were Munawar Farman, ex-MPA, Zubaida Ihsan, ex-MPA, Begum Nargis Samin Jan, ex-MPA, Shagufta Malik, ex-MPA, Shazia Tehmas Khan, ex-MPA, Uzma Khan,ex-MPA, Yasmin Zia, ex-MPA, Rehana Shakeel, Labour Party Pakistan, Fahima Begum,  ex-Councillor ANP, Rifaqat Begum, ex-Tehsil councillor PTI, Nargis, PTI, Shahida, ANP, Taj Mehal, ex-Councillor ANP, Noor Mahal, PTI, Aftab Munawar, Vice President ANP Mardan, Qismat Zari,  PTI, Nighat, PPP, Akhtar Bibi, PPP, Akhtar Begum, PPP, Jamila, PPP, Salwa saeed, ANP, Zahida Hameed, PPP and Sara Aziz, ANP.
They in their respective speeches said that women were not born just to be political agents at polling stations but also had the potential to lead the political parties and the country.
Women political workers should be encouraged and given opportunity to come forward and contest in local elections, they added.
Executive Director SFCG Pakistan Ammara Durrani observed that during general elections 2013 about 150 women contested for the National Assembly seats out of which only 36 women politicians were awarded party tickets. Whereas, they said that at provincial level, 313 women politicians contested general elections out of which 155 were awarded party tickets.
Fata students protest against
security operation Kurram Agency
Activists of Fata Students Federation (FSF) hailing from different educational institutions on Saturday staged a protest demonstration against the security forces ongoing operation in Kurram Agency.
The protesting students led by FSF Central President Khan Bahadur Wazir, Kurram Agency President Shaukat Aziz and Ejaz Chamkani were holding placards and banner inscribed with slogans to halt military action and stop killing of innocent people. The protesting students started their protest rally from the Peshawar High Court and then moved towards Peshawar Press Club to record their protest. They also urged the government to stop military operation and extend support to the affected families.
Talking to media, the FSF leaders alleged that about 65,000 tribal people were killed and thousands others injured in the so-called war on terror in Fata.
He also said that thousands of families were compelled to left their hometowns and take refuge in the makeshift camps amid confronting numerous difficulties.
They strongly condemned the US drone attacks in FATA and termed it against the sovereignty of the state and violation of the international law. The demonstrating students also criticised the United Nation (UN) and International Human Rights Organisations for following a criminal silence over the violation of basic human rights in Fata.
The students lamented that the tribal people were not only targeted by the US predators but also in the cruel grip of own security forces, which they condemned.
They demanded the newly elected governments to immediately stop military action and a halt to the US drones in FATA and let the tribal families return their hometowns.