LAHORE  - PTI’s priority list for women seats is a rich blend of well-heeled ladies known for their philanthropist work and the die-hard party workers though a few exceptions to the rule have also been made in certain cases.

These lists were lately submitted with the Election Commission of Pakistan to fill the reserved seats for women in the national and provincial assemblies.

An analysis of PTI’s priority lists from Punjab shows that they have been prepared keeping in view the services rendered by the loyal party workers and the philanthropist work done by the affluent ladies who have been associated with the party since years.

Nonetheless, a few women party activists who could not get the right place on the priority list have raised alarm over what they call unfair distribution of tickets on the basis of favoritism and nepotism. Their concerns seem to be genuine as some women have been bestowed party tickets only because of their strong connections with senior party leaders. The priority lists were finalized by Monaza Hasan and Aliya Hamza, the two senior most leaders of party’s women wing. Both the ladies have been a subject of criticism for allegedly ignoring the old party guards at the cost of new comers.

Here is a brief account of ladies who figure prominently in the National Assembly’s list for one reason or the other.

Dr Shireen Mazari whose name is at the top of the priority list for the National Assembly seats is one of the most vocal ladies in the party. She has already served a five-year term as legislator in the lower house of the Parliament.

Munaza Hasan is former president of the party’s women wing. She had replaced Dr Fauzia Kasuri in the intra-party polls held couple of years back. She had joined the party in 1996. Dr Zarqa of the PTI whose name figures at 65th position on the women’s list for Punjab Assembly is a Canadian national.

Andleeb Abbas is also a well-known face of the PTI. She is one of the vocal PTI women who are seen defending the party policies on various talk shows on different news channels quite often.

Asma Qadeer is a women activist from party’s North Punjab organization. She is said to have strong connections with Munaza Hasan.

Aliya Hamza is an old woman activist from Lahore. Previously, she also worked in the office of senior party leader Jehangir Khan Tareen.

Javeria Zafar is president of PTI’s women wing in Khushab district. Reportedly, she found a place on PTI’s list for reserved seats on the recommendations of Amir Kayani, party’s president for North Punjab.

Kanwal Shauzab is a party activist from party’s Northern wing. She also got ticket on the recommendations of Amir Kayani   Dr Seemi Bukhari is a party activist known for her philanthropist work. She also provides medical treatment to the poor by setting up medical camps.

Sobia Kamal served as PTI’s Vice President when Ejaz Ch was party’s Punjab president before 2013 elections. Nosheen Hamid, a daughter-in-law of Mian Miraj Muhammad Khan was MPA in Punjab Assembly from 2013 to 2018 on a reserved seat for women.

Maleeha Bokhari is stated to have served as personal secretary of PTI’s Vice-Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi. But she also has a degree in law from UK and had been part of party’s legal team which assisted the party on Panama Papers. 

Fozia Bahram belongs to a political family of Chakwal district. She was previously associated with the PPP and served a term as MPA from 2008 to 2013. She parted ways with the PPP and joined the PTI couple of years back. 

Rukhsana Naveed is an old party activist. She is wife of a retired colonel and known for her philanthropist work.  

Tashfeen Safdar is a party activist from Gujrat who allegedly got the ticket for her close association with Munaza Hasan.

Asiya Azeem has been part of PML-Q and PPP in the past. Mashaal Hassan is stated to be an employee in the office of Jehangir Tareen.

Prominent women on the Punjab

Assembly list

Dr Yasmin Rashid, a medical doctor, became prominent when she contested a by-election against Begum Kalsoom Nawaz in September 2018. Previously, she had contested against Mian Nawaz Sharif in 2013 elections. She is again a candidate from the same constituency but this time against Maryam Nawaz Sharif on a general seat from NA-125 (Lahore). 

Sadiqa Sahibdad is an old party worker and close relative of senior party leader Jehangir Khan Tareen. Shamsa Ali is a lawyer by profession and one of the founding members of the PTI. Shahwana Bashir, wife of Col (R) Bashir, is also an old party activist. Firdous Rai belongs to Faisalabad who led party’s labour wing for quite some time.

Syeda Zehra Naqvi is daughter of Saloni Bokhari, (late), a former president of PTI’s women wing who died six months back. Ayesha Iqbal is a philanthropist who raised money for the SKMT projects. She is also stated to have worked as Secretary to Aliya Hamza.

Neelum Hayat recently joined the PTI after leaving the PAT which she had joined in 2012. Ummal Bunin is an old party worker and close relative of PTI leader Andleeb Abbas.

Uzma Kardar, a teacher by profession, lives at Model Town Lahore. She is wife of Col (R) Kardar. Previously she has been associated with the PML-Q and the PPP.  

Mussarat Jamshaid Cheema is wife of Jamshaid Iqbal Cheema, a party ticket holder from NA-127. She has got the ticket against party’s policy of not awarding more than one ticket in a family. 

Sadia Sohail Rana served a term as Member Punjab Assembly from 2013 to 2018 against a reserved seat for women. She has been duly rewarded for his good performance in the previous Assembly.

Rashida Zaheer lives in Model Town Lahore and allegedly got the party ticket for being a friend of Monaza Hasan. Farhat Farooq is an old party activist from Gawalmadi Lahore. Talat Naqvi is also a die-hard party activist who also worked as journalist. She has been associated with the party for the last over 20 years.

Seemabia Tahir belongs to Islamabad. She has been rewarded for her being instrumental in organizing the famous Islamabad sit-in of 2014. Zainab Umai is a lawyer by profession who also served as vice-president of Insaaf Lawyers Forum. Farah Agha is a well-known party activist from Rawalpindi. She also performed well during 2014 sit-in.

Farah Azmi belongs to Sialkot. She has a vast experience of running NGOs. Sania Kamran is a long-time party activist, besides being the daughter of former test player of cricket Manzoor Elahi. Batool Janjua is former deputy secretary information of the PTI. Nighat Mehmood is sister-in-law of senior party leader Shafqat Mehmood. Shabnum Jahangir, a widow of a retired general, is also an old party activist. Nilofur Habib is business woman who donates generously for SKMT projects.

 

MUBASHIR HASSAN