MANSEHRA, April 26: It is the first time that four women are in the running for local national and provincial assembly seats.

However, as is the general perception, they all don’t stand a chance to win the May 11 contest for limited canvassing.

These women, who are contesting election independently, are soliciting votes for themselves by going from door to door instead of holding public meetings and corner meetings like men, for being part of a highly conservative society.

Among them are Shaheen Zamir from NA-21, Sajida Tabbasum and Syeda Gulnaz Shah from PK-53 and Arshada Bibi from PK-56.

When contacted, Syeda Gulnaz Shah said: “we, women, are part of a conservative society, so first we are not as free as men contesting elections and second, we can’t interact with men for canvassing.

That’s why we’re not holding public meetings or corner meetings and are relying on door-to-door campaign,” she said. The candidate said if women voted for women, then women could easily win election.

“But the ground reality is different. Women exercise the right of vote on the direction of male members of their families,” she said.

Ms Gulnaz Shah said she had held a corner meeting for men voters but participants were her relatives.

Shaheen Zamir said she was directly contacting women in the constituency to vote for her in election.

Sajida Tabbasum, a former MNA, who quit PPP after denial of ticket for election, said she was also going from door to door to solicit votes.

Ms Tabbasum said men dominated all political parties, which by and large didn’t field women in election.

RESISTANCE TO TERRORISM RESISTED: A jirga from Torghar on Friday condemned the Wednesday terrorist attack against police in Judbah, saying it’s an attempt to sabotage the May 11 election.

It, however, said such attempts will be resisted by all means.

The jirga, where local elders and residents showed up in large numbers, was held in Judbah.

“We’ll not only support law-enforcement agencies against terrorists but will also form a committee to probe the Wednesday attack against police and hand over culprits if traced,” elder Mohammad Zahid told reporters after the jirga.

The elder said local residents had pledged that they won’t let outsiders dictate them on how to lead life.

“We are united to give a befitting response to outsiders, who want to impose their agenda on us,” he said.

Mr Zahid said the jirga was unanimous that terrorists wanted to disrupt the May 11 election in the district but their designs would not be foiled.

He said the people were enthusiastic about election and would actively participate in it.

Meanwhile, police have arrested more than a dozen people in relation to the Wednesday attack, which killed a policeman and another along with a passerby.