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Elections 2018: Twitter appreciates Ali Begum to defy odds

Dunya News

Her enthusiastic approach to communicate, address the concerns of people is contagiously inspiring

“Being a lonely female candidate from newly merged #Fata, I have stepped forward to contest the upcoming #GE2018 for National Assembly Seat from #NA46 #Kurram as an independent candidate, with campaign focused on health, education and women’s rights.” said the pinned tweet of Mrs. Ali Begum, the renowned senior bureaucrat, educationist and an advisor to PM on status of women. 

From April 2018, Ali Begum, a 69 year old retired civil servant from Parachinar has kicked off her political campaign for a seat in National Assembly.

Since then, the tribal woman is all set to contest elections 2018 from NA-46 of Kurram agency of former FATA, now KPK, vying against 23 male contenders.

Filled in with much fervor and enthusiasm, she even has inaugurated her election office in Parachinar and is continuously holding the public meetings and gatherings and running her election campaigning. She is astonishingly being showered the warm welcome and admiration from the men and women of her constituency, alike.

Mrs. Ali Begum while campaigning for election. Photos: Twitter

While campaigning for elections, she puts an immense emphasis on the role and rights of the woman in the tribal society. She also stresses on unity, sectarian harmony and the need of development for the prosperity of the region.

Ali Begum is a Pakistani citizen by birth but also held the US Citizenship which she gave up before taking a decision to contest elections 2018 from her native home town, Parachinar.

She showed a sheer bravery to take part into the politics from such a conservative region where relatively rare a woman dares to raise her voice.

In an interview given to an international media outlet, she praised her team for assisting her in conducting meetings and holding public gatherings.

She is confident that Kurram would vote for her and send the region’s first female representative to the National Assembly.

Twitter is celebrating the courage, stamina and the valor of Mrs. Begum Ali for being firm against 23 male contenders in the remote, conservative, patriarchal and male-dominated far flung region of the country where the woman is even forbidden to cast the vote.

Inspiring from her zeal and enthusiasm, many twitterati took to the twitter and showed her sheer support and encourage other women to unveil the progressive face of the once Taliban influenced, region. Mrs. Ali Begum is highly lauded on twitter and given support in leading her mission ahead.

It is pertinent to mention that though the Ex-FATA s adults were legally given the permission to vote under the "adult franchise" granted in 1996 but the elders and religious leaders of the former FATA, attempted to prevent female participation by threatening punishment against tribesmen whose women registered. After the inception of Taliban, women were sternly ordered against voting under threat of "serious punishment, in the regions of Bajaur, Kurram and Mohmand of FATA.

In the general elections 2013, the very first female candidate Badam Zari contested the polls. Though, she lost the bid, but flared a beacon.

Another voice of Mehreen Afridi has also been raised for the deprived of representation, women of the region last year. Afridi, filed a petititon in Peshawar high court, seeking directives for the government to reserve seats for women of the backward and conservative region of the former FATA in National Assembly and the senate.

After the merger, the region has even gained the reserve seats for women too.

Ali Begum has unveiled her aspirations in her manifesto being announced on social media to make the way for progress to be swept in Kurram.

Manifesto announced by Mrs. Begum Ali for Elections 2018. Photo: Twitter

Her enthusiastic approach to communicate and address the concerns of people is contagiously inspiring and people  are applauding her for commencing her electioning walk with much zeal and enthusiasm.

Bringing the women from Fata into the mainstream would certainly lead towards a better future. Here are few of the tweets of Ali Begum, delienating her commitment to bring a real change to the far flung conservative region of Pakistan.

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