Chitral elects first woman MP

CHITRAL: In a historic election, independent candidate Suraya Bibi won the PK-1 Chitral seat in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assembly in the general election, becoming the first woman to represent the remote region as a member of parliament (MP).

She defeated her closest rival Shakeel Ahmed of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Pakistan-Fazl by a margin of over 8,000 votes.

Suraya Bibi secured 18,914 votes out of a total of 130,189 registered voters, including 60,645 women and 69,544 men. The election witnessed a high turnout rate of 50.48%, indicating the enthusiasm of the voters in the region.

Her victory is a remarkable achievement for the women of Chitral, who have long been marginalized in the conservative and male-dominated society.

Suraya Bibi’s success also challenges the stereotypes and barriers that have prevented women from participating in politics in the region.