Senior women journalist and Former General Secretary of Khyber Union of Journalist Anila Shaheen jumped into electoral race as independent candidate after she was allotted election symbol 'Basket' on Friday, vowing to work for socio-economic and education empowerment of women folk if elected.
Hailing from Chamkani, a suburban village of Peshawar located on GT Road, Anila Shaheen was hopeful to give tough time to political heavyweights of different mainstream political parties and would conquer NA-4 Peshawar mostly comprises on villages and rural areas where education ratio was comparatively low compare to others three constituencies of Peshawar.
"My top priority would promoting education and establishment of quality educational and technical institutes in NA-4 Peshawar as without education, the dream of progress and development besides durable peace was not possible" she told media at Judicial Complex where she came for allot of election symbol. She said setting up of network of quality education and vocational educational training institutes in all areas of NA-4 where this facility was not available would in her top priority in order to save time and money of students.
Anila Shaheen said focus would be given on establishment of women schools and colleges as most of girls were deprived from higher education due to lack of colleges and vocational institutes in NA-4 Peshawar. She said most of girls of low income groups and salaried-class left their education after matric because they could not afford to visit Peshawar for higher education due to financial problems and social norms. Likewise, Anila Shaheen said NA-4 was overlooked for development in health and communication infrastructure and majority of the residents of this constituency were depending on Peshawar hospitals.
"I would give top focus to build state of art Basic Health Units to mitigate suffering of ailing people that will also reduce pressure on Lady Reading Hospital and other major hospitals of Peshawar," she vowed. She had completed her election campaign in her home town Chamkani and adjoining areas where voters had showed very positive response to her, she remarked.
She said peoples' were looking for change as they were fed up with hereditary politics, adding clean drinking water, improvement of roads/link roads and special programs for women with technical skills would be launched if elected.
She said candidates of two main political parties had approached here for withdrawal but she refused.
"I came to politics with a sole mission to empower poor and women folk social, educational and economically," Anila vowed.
She urged voters not to sit in homes on Election Day and cast their votes in large number to bring change through ballots as such occasions not come often. She urged electorates to elect honest candidates by rejecting those elements that came out against with tricky slogans and changing political loyalties to grab power.
In this age of media revolutions, she said people were politically mature and would foil designs of political jugglers.
NA-4 is comprises on PK10 and PK-11 and some areas of PK-6 including Hazara Khwani, Urmar, Choha Gojar, Sorezai, Meera, Mathani, Adezai, Shekera, Chamkani and Badabar areas etc.
The literacy ratio in Chamkani and Badabara is relatively high compare to rest of the constituency and all the mainstream political parties had field candidates from famous Arbab Family of Peshawar.
ANP had fielded former Agriculture Minister Arbab Ayub Jan while Meftahuddin Khan of PPP, former MNA Sabir Hussain Awan of JI and Nazir Khan Moszai of PML-N would also try their luck from this constituency.
Arbab Muhamamd Tahir Khan, who had won this constituency in 2008 election by obtaining 31599 votes against Muhammad Azam Khan Afridi of PPP 18702 and Amir Muqam 185583, was not contesting elections 2013. The constituency was now open for all candidates and any one who presented solid programs and convinced voters would gets an edge over others.
