Affluent women elected to NA directly

By Muhammad Bilal
ISLAMABAD: Almost all directly elected women parliamentarians belong to affluent families, most of them being feudal landowners or close relatives of influential political leaders.
Sixteen women have been directly elected to the 342-member National Assembly (NA). NA Speaker Dr Fehmida Mirza is among the richest female members.
Dr Fehmida Mirza: In her assets’ declaration submitted to the Election Commission of Pakistan, NA Speaker Dr Mirza valued her immovable property inside Pakistan at Rs 26.850 million, including a house in Karachi, a plot in Islamabad, a farmhouse and 688 acres of land in Sindh.
Sumera Malik: Sumera Malik, a former minister, said she owned agriculture land measuring approximately 9,500 kanals in Mianwali, valued at Rs 39 million.
In her assets, she mentioned an 11-kanal plot worth Rs 8.5 million at Bani Gala, Islamabad, and a house worth Rs 36 million in Sector F-6/2 of the federal capital.
Ghulam Bibi Bharwana: Ghulam Bibi Bharwana of Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) belongs to a landlord family. She has 2,532.16 kanals of agricultural land worth Rs 850 million, she declared.
Saima Akhtar Bharwana: Saima Akhtar Bharwana, who has been elected MNA as an independent candidate twice, owns agricultural land worth Rs 150 million. She did not specify the land’s area.
Firdous Ashiq Awan: Firdous Ashiq Awan of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has put the value of her immovable assets at Rs 23.761 million that include agricultural land and other property.
Samina Khalid Ghurki: Samina Khalid Ghurki, a federal minister, has declared that she owns around 895 kanals of land in district Kasur and some property in Lahore and Rawalpindi without mentioning its present value.
Tehmina Daultana: PML-N parliamentarian Tehmina Daultana has declared her immovable property’s worth at Rs 132.5 million that includes residential apartments as well as commercial property. She also has agricultural land worth Rs 11.596 million.
Hina Rabbani Khar: Hina Rabbani Khar, a state minister, declared that she owns over 1,187 kanals of land at two separate locations in Muzaffargarh district, valuing Rs 6 million. She also owns a plot in Islamabad worth Rs 1.4 million, two vehicles worth Rs 4.6 million and jewellery valuing Rs 2 million.
Faryal Talpur: Faryal Talpur, sister of President Asif Ali Zardari, has put the worth of her agricultural assets at Rs 2.166 million and non-agricultural assets, including two houses in Karachi and a plot in Gawadar, at Rs 13.545 million.
Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho: Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho has declared immovable property worth Rs 23.846 million and capital investments in various businesses worth Rs 11.667 million.
Khushbakht Shujaat: Khushbakht Shujaat of the MQM has two flats worth Rs 2.57 million; shares in a school worth Rs 1.5 million, a vehicle worth Rs 625,000, 150 tolas of gold, bank accounts with Rs 1.025 million and furniture and articles of personal use worth Rs 150,000.
Source: Daily Times
Date:3/22/2009

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