FAISALABAD, Aug 26: Only seven women are in the race out of total 378 candidates for all 11 national and 22 provincial assemblies’ seats in the district for general elections.

Out of total seven, two women filed nomination papers as covering candidates of their husbands in different constituencies.

Rifaat Dildar, wife of former MNA Dildar Ahmed Cheema, has submitted papers from NA-80. Cheema is a ticket-holder of PML-QA from the same constituency.

Similarly, Munawar Sultana, wife of former MPA Badaruddin Chaudhry, has filed nomination papers from NA-84 as a PPP candidate for her husband is a ticket-holder from this seat.

Five other women candidates who have filed nomination papers are: Syeda Huma Zohra Kazmi (independent) from PP-61, Uzma Fida Khawaja (independent) and Rifaat Jawed (MMA) from PP-68, Mehwish Chaudhry chairperson of (Ghareen Party) from PP-69 and Saima Malik (independent) from PP-60.

It is for the first time that seven women candidates with having no experience of national politics filed their nomination papers.

Not even a single old woman party worker or leader of the PPP (Parliamentarians), PML-QA, PML-N, PAT, and JI could submit nomination papers particularly due to the condition of graduation.