“It is forbidden to follow a woman; we men cannot follow her. In Pashtun traditions, a woman cannot sit in a ‘Hujra’ (a male guest house) or a mosque, so how can she do politics?” Samar Haroon Bilour does not care about these things. In her view, these are narrow-minded people who can’t compete with talented women like her, and then they say such things.
Awami National Party’s former MPA Samar Haroon Bilour has faced a lack of funds and negative attitudes from a few people, but she has not lost heart. Whatever the problems were, Samar faced them with bravery and courage.
After the martyrdom of barrister Haroon Bilour in a suicide blast during his election campaign in the last elections, his wife Samar Haroon Bilour contested from PK-78 constituency in the by-elections 2018 and defeated PTI’s Mohammad Irfan. Samar Haroon Bilour was the first woman member elected to a general seat in the provincial assembly in 16 years.
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According to the Election Commission, a total of 183 women contested general seats in the general elections in 2018, but only 8 candidates were successful.
According to the data of the Election Commission of Pakistan, 4 candidates from Sindh, 3 from Punjab, and one candidate from Balochistan were successful among the women who participated in the general seats, while no women from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were elected to the general seats.
The Electoral Reforms Bill of 2017 has mandated all political parties to reserve at least 5 percent of tickets for national and provincial assembly elections for women.
Wazir Muhammad, 58, of Peshawar, says that it is easy for a woman to participate in politics within Pashtun traditions, but it is quite difficult to work after that. In the first phase, people will not vote for her. Even if somehow she gets elected, it becomes difficult to work here.
Asked how it becomes difficult to work, Wazir Muhammad says that common people do not know how to deal with a woman politician – talking to her day and night on the phone about small problems, etc. On the other hand, common people also believe that a woman cannot sit in a hujra or a mosque to solve the problems of an area. In contrast, a male member can be invited at any time and any place to solve the problems of his area.
After winning the by-election from constituency PK-78, Samar Harun Bilour proved that the tradition should be broken now – that a woman can only be part of the assembly on a reserved seat, but she should contest the election like a male candidate and get elected. She says that like other women, this time in the elections she also had the option of a reserved seat which she did not use or take. Last time also she was the only directly elected woman MPA in the assembly and she felt how people would treat her differently as compared to the other women MPAs with reserved seats.
Samar said that although she was associated with the opposition; there were very few funds and resources at hand as the government was not of her party but of PTI, who had a very bad attitude towards the opposition, however, still because she represented a constituency, the administration cooperated with her a lot, all the institutions also cooperated a lot, due to which she was able to offer some help to her people to a certain extent.
Samar Haroon Bilour said that compared to her, the women colleagues with the reserved seats were hardworking women but their work was mostly inside the assembly. They were very brave members but they could not do what elected members could do.
Samar Bilour wants to represent a constituency, so this time again, she has submitted nomination papers to the Election Commission for direct elections.”
On the other hand, Tehreek-e-Insaf women wing’s president and former MPA Rabia Basri, hailing from Peshawar, secured a reserved seat from PK-77. She emphasizes that once a person is elected or receives votes, they are responsible for everything in their constituency. Encounters with people are a constant part of their role. When a specific seat is given by the party, responsibilities are assigned accordingly, and the work must align with the party’s instructions.
Regarding her work, Rabia Basri asserts that she has accomplished a lot for her constituency. Contrary to the notion that a representative on a reserved seat can’t perform effectively, she states, “I was nominated for a reserved seat by the party, I tried to fulfill the promise I made. I worked for about 400 or 500 special persons in one way or the other. From wheelchairs to skill training, I established a vocational school for those who are special persons and do nothing and are sitting idle. Similarly, transgender individuals had problems in the hospital regarding treatment. With the help of our government, at least 2 beds were allocated for transgender individuals in every government hospital where only they will get treatment. We made it mandatory for the doctors to give them every facility of timely treatment without any discrimination.”
Niaz Bibi from the Rashid Garhi area of PK-78 commends Samar Bilour for her various initiatives benefiting the people of her area, including the construction of streets, installation of light bulbs at street intersections, and maintenance of link roads.
Gul Munir, another resident in Samar Bilour’s constituency, suggests that such small tasks are typically handled by the area councilor. He points out that in extreme heat, when the transformer of the area broke down, the residents used to solve their problem by collecting donations and never received any help. Additionally, the persistent issues of gas and electricity load-shedding remain unresolved. Gul Munir expresses a preference for a male MPA over a female MPA in the area, citing the difficulty in approaching a female representative repeatedly.
In response, Samar Bilour acknowledges the challenges faced by a woman politician, particularly when campaigning and working for her constituency. Despite being in the opposition party and facing financial constraints due to limited cooperation from the PTI government, she claims to have addressed the problems of her constituents even with a low budget, ensuring that no one had reason to complain.
Samar Bilour acknowledges the difficulties faced by women in politics, including baseless accusations and gender-based prejudices. She emphasizes that the world has changed, and political parties should support their women workers by providing tickets in winning areas. According to Samar Haroon Bilour, women are ready to cooperate if given the opportunity, challenging the notion that politics is exclusively a man’s domain.
On the other hand, Farzana Yasmin, who has lived in America for an extended period, points out that changing attitudes will take time, especially in a developing country like Pakistan, particularly among the less educated population of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which has been affected by terrorism.
Drawing a parallel with the United States, she mentions that even in a country like the U.S., during the 2016 election between Trump and Hillary Clinton, people were hesitant about supporting Hillary simply because she was a woman, fearing that she might undermine American policies. Farzana highlights the global perception that women are often perceived as weak, and this mindset poses challenges for women in politics, making it more difficult for them to establish themselves in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s political landscape. However, she remains optimistic that it is not impossible.
According to the spokesperson for the Election Commission of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sohail Ahmad, a total of 3,349 male and 115 female candidates have submitted nomination papers for 115 general seats in the upcoming 2024 elections. The final list of women candidates will be available once the data is processed. Ahmad notes that in the 2018 elections, several women from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa participated, with Samar Bilour securing her seat in the by-elections. Notable figures like Begum Naseem Wali Khan, who participated and won three times, have paved the way for more women to consider general seats in the current elections.
Mairaj Humayun, contesting elections from Swabi on the ticket of the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz, is one of the women aspiring to secure a general seat. While there is a growing interest among women to contest for general seats, some may choose to apply for reserved seats as per their party’s instructions. The province has a total of 26 reserved seats, with over 200 nomination papers filed so far. Additionally, around 66 nomination papers have been submitted for the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa quota in the National Assembly, which has 10 seats.
Lehaz Ali, a senior journalist and analyst based in Peshawar, provides insights into reasons why women may hesitate to contest elections. He points to historical trends, such as Begum Naseem Wali Khan’s participation in the elections of 1988, 1990, and 1993, which were not followed by a sustained effort to bring more women into politics. Lack of education also played a role, leading women to enter the assemblies through reserved seats. The introduction of the Legal Framework Law during Pervez Musharraf’s tenure facilitated more women’s entry into politics on reserved seats, marking a positive shift. Lehaz Ali acknowledges that Samar Haroon Bilour garnered the sympathy vote but emphasizes her talent and capability.
Ali highlights the slow process of social change and notes that bringing about significant change takes time. He points out instances of progress, such as Shahida, a woman from Dir, receiving a ticket from PTI in 2018. The participation of transgender individuals in elections also signals positive change. Ali encourages women to actively participate in politics, recognizing the crucial role played by PTI in promoting gender inclusion, and urges other political parties to follow suit.
Note: This story is part of a Pakistan Press Foundation Fellowship.
