QUETTA, Oct 1: Despite including women’s issues in the manifestos, the political parties did not implement their commitments in the past, observed participants in a dialogue with election candidates on women’s issues, arranged on Tuesday by Aurat Foundation.

The parties that remained in power, including Pakistan People’s Party and Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz), did not take any significant step for resolving the problems being faced by women, they said.

Most of the parties had not given women 33 per cent representation in their provincial and central bodies, it was observed. The PML-N and PPP failed to restore women’s seats in the national and provincial assemblies when they were in the government, they said.

The representatives of different parties refuted the allegations and said they could not ignore women. They said most parties had established their women’s wings.

Jamhoori Watan party Secretary-General Khuda-i-Noor, however, accepted that despite remaining in power and holding the portfolio of education, the party could not deliver regarding women’s education. He also blamed the women for not coming forward with courage.

Balochistan National Movement Information Secretary Dr Ishaq Baloch said the party’s education minister, Dr Malik, had opened 21 girls primary schools in Kharan.