Criticism Mounts Over Absence of Women in KP’s New All-Male Cabinet

PESHAWAR: The newly formed Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) cabinet faced swift backlash on Friday after Chief Minister Sohail Afridi’s 13-member team — comprising ten ministers, two advisers, and a special assistant — was sworn in without a single woman among its ranks.

The absence of female representation in the new provincial setup drew sharp criticism from journalists, politicians, and rights activists, who said the exclusion of women from decision-making positions undermined democratic values and gender inclusion.

“No woman representation, afsos (regrettable),” remarked Haroon Rashid, managing editor at Independent Urdu. Journalist Mariana Baabar described the development as “unacceptable,” noting that KP had once again formed an “all-male club” of ministers.

Former National Assembly member and National Democratic Movement leader Bushra Gohar criticised Governor Faisal Karim Kundi for signing off on the cabinet summary without raising objections. “You could have at least raised an observation about it,” she said, warning that women were being excluded from all key decision-making forums in the province.

Writer and activist Afiya Shehrbano Zia said the move exposed “the limits of women’s loyalty to a populist male leader,” arguing that women in politics continued to receive only “symbolic rewards.”

Farzana Ali, Bureau Chief at Aaj TV Peshawar, countered the argument that the absence of reserved seats prevented women’s inclusion, noting that capable women could still be appointed as advisers or special assistants. She cited former lawmaker Ayesha Bano as an example of potential female leadership.

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Former KP Ombudsperson Rukhshanda Naz echoed the criticism, asserting that “there is no democracy without women’s participation.”

Former human rights minister Shireen Mazari also weighed in, attributing the absence of female legislators to the denial of reserved seats for the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) by the Election Commission and Supreme Court. “The lone woman elected on a general seat is already serving as deputy speaker,” Mazari said, questioning the legality of redistributing PTI’s reserved seats among other parties.

Observers say the controversy has reignited debate over women’s political representation in Pakistan, particularly in provinces where female participation remains limited.

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