ECP allocates 20 reserved seats for women in NA from Punjab

F.P. Report

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan has announced the allotment of twenty reserved seats for women in the National Assembly from Punjab and fourteen from Sindh.

According to ECP spokesperson, the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz received seventeen seats, with one seat each allocated to the Pakistan People’s Party, the Pakistan Muslim League, and Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party. Pakistan People’s Party has been allocated ten reserved seats for women, while four have been granted to the Muttahida Qaumi Movement from Sindh.

Meanwhile, after ousting Pushtun nationalist parties from National Assembly and Balochistan provincial assembly, Pushtun women have also been kept away from the reserved seats of MNA and MPA in National Assembly and Balochistan provincial assembly. Muslim League-N has won seats from Pushtun dominated areas of the province, but no pushtun female has either been elected as member National Assembly or member of Balochistan Provincial Assembly by PML-N against the seats reserved for women in National Assembly as well as in Balochistan Provincial Assembly.

Similarly, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl won seats from northern Balochistan, where pushtuns are in majority, but JUI-F did not bother to get pushtoon females elected for National Assembly or Balochistan provincial assembly elected against the seats reserved for women. The sole Pushtun female member in Balochistan provincial assembly belongs to Awami National Party.

Among the newly elected MNAs and MPAs by Pakistan Peoples Party, no Pushtun woman has been given representation either in National Assembly or Balochistan Provincial Assembly. The issue of keeping Pushtun women from national and provincial assemblies by PML-N, PPP and JUI-F could provide this opportunity to pushtun nationalist parties of the province to use the issue for political gains.

Newly-elected 70 MNAs complete registration process at National Assembly: As many as 70 newly elected members of the National Assembly (MNAs) after successfully making their way to the Lower House of the Parliament have so completed their registration process at the Secretariat.

The process of registration of the newly elected MNAs was continued in the facilitation center established in the National Assembly Secretariat, the Spokesperson of the National Assembly said in a news release. He said the Facilitation Center had been established in Committee Room No. 2 of the National Assembly.

“The newly elected members of the National Assembly are requested to come to the facilitation center and complete their registration and other necessary documentation,” the NA official said. The Facilitation Center will be open on Saturdays and Sundays from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm for registration, card and photo making of the MNAs.

He urged that the newly elected MNAs who had not registered were requested to visit the facilitation center and complete the registration process. “Photographs are being taken at the Facilitation Center for the registration cards and other necessary documents of the newly elected honorable members of the National Assembly,” he said.

It should be noted that before the opening session of the 16th National Assembly, the newly elected members of the National Assembly must complete the assembly card and other necessary documents. “Newly elected members are requested to complete their registration by coming to the facility on time to avoid any problem due to possible rush. They are advised to keep their national identity cards and other necessary documents with them for registration,” the National Assembly spokesperson said.