Ali Begum is a groundbreaking Pakistani heroine who deserves our support

Rafia Zakaria

In recent years, Parachinar, the capital of Kurram Agency on the Western border of Pakistan, has been in the news for all the wrong reasons. There have been bomb blasts and terrorist operations, all of them making life difficult for inhabitants of this austere yet beautiful place.

This year, it is noteworthy for a more positive reason. One week ago, Ali Begum, a woman who served as a civil servant in the area, announced her candidacy for the upcoming elections and inaugurated her campaign office. Two days later she kicked off her election campaign with a rally. When she spoke, she emphasized the need for jobs and education for the youth of the area, opportunities that are necessary to sustain the fragile peace.

Parachinar already has its place in history. In 1893, during British rule, it was the location where Mortimer Durand, the colonial representative, met Emir Abdur Rahman Khan, of the Barakzai Dynasty, to draw the infamous Durand Line, which would form the boundary between the British Raj and Afghanistan.

Now this new episode of history, heralding the candidacy of a woman from the region, promises to be momentous as well. Just three years ago, it was difficult to imagine such a day would come, after local political leaders colluded to ban women from participating at all in the 2015 provincial elections.

Yet the day has come. It is notable that the inaugural ceremonies for Begum’s campaign included the tribal elders from the area, who affirmed that she had always done everything she could to help the people of the area. The fact that they did so is important for several reasons.

First, their attendance and support goes against the premise that tribal elders are, as a rule, against women or completely uninterested in change. Second, it highlights the importance of getting the support of such elders if a candidacy like that of Begum is to get off the ground in the region.

Ali Begum of Parachinar has taken a courageous step by deciding to contest the elections. If women like her are to be encouraged, then the rest of the country must be vocal in their support of her candidacy Rafia Zakaria

Unlike the stereotypes about the region and its people held by Pakistanis everywhere, while tribal culture might be less progressive than the urban areas of the country it is also a culture that has faced tremendous onslaught, not simply from terrorism-related issues but also from changing demographics and lack of development. As Ali Begum noted, there is not a single institution of higher education or agricultural development center in the area. The absence of these have led to older men being absent as they search for employment, a fact not unconnected to the radicalization of younger men.

Much is said in Pakistani newspapers and on political talk shows about improving the situation of women in the country. However, most top-down efforts devised in Islamabad and then sent to be implemented in places such as Kurram Agency have failed because they do not involve local women. Women like Begum have the capacity to change that, to eliminate practices such as honor killing, which will require community support if they are to end.

At the same time, just the fact of Begum’s candidacy, while brave, is not enough. It is crucial that the Voter Mobilization Committees formed by the Election Commission of Pakistan be given proper resources so that women in Kurram Agency can safely come out and vote for her. As a recent report published in the Herald Magazine noted, even now in various parts of Pakistan, including Dhurnal in Multan District, women face informal bans on voting.

Ali Begum of Parachinar has taken a courageous step by deciding to contest the elections. If women like her are to be encouraged, then the rest of the country must be vocal in their support of her candidacy and encourage more women to do the same. Those who do not want to stand for political office can still choose to serve on Voter Mobilization Committees in their area and encourage other women to vote.

Every woman in Pakistan knows other women, and each woman has the power to vote herself and encourage others to do the same. Perhaps then history will be made in the whole country, and the people of Pakistan will see the highest female voter turnout yet recorded.

• Rafia Zakaria is the author of “The Upstairs Wife: An Intimate History of Pakistan” (Beacon 2015) and “Veil” (Bloomsbury 2017). She writes regularly for The Guardian, Boston Review, The New Republic, The New York Times Book Review, and many other publications. Twitter: @rafiazakaria

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