KARACHI: Ruling Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) in Sindh has ousted women, religious minorities and lower middle class workers from the positions of district chairmen in the local bodies’ nominations. Five-member coordination committee of PPP headed by provincial minister Nisar Ahmed Khuhoro announced the names of party candidates for district chairmen and vice chairmen for local bodies’ elections in 24 districts across the province on Thursday. Not a single women or minority candidate was announced for any single district for the position of district chairman in any district. However, only in Tharparkar district where almost half of the population comprises on Hindus, one candidate, Kunwar Karni Singh is nominated as district vice chairman. Most of the nominated names are either family members or close relatives of PPP’s current parliamentarians including MNAs, MPAs and senators. Also in some districts, PPP has nominated those candidates who were in different political parties and have recently joined PPP and has neglected the senior party workers. In the past, PPP selected women candidates on district Nazim positions, like Faryal Talpur served as districts Nazim in Benazirabad (Formerly Nawabshah), Nafeesa Shah remained district Nazim in Khairpur and Fehmida Mirza in Badin district. Hindus are one of the biggest religious minorities in Pakistan and majority of them live in Sindh and in some of the districts like Tharparkar and Umerkot, half of the populations comprises on Hindus and in other district such as Sanghar, Mirpurkhas, Karachi, Badin and Hyderabad large number of the Hindus live, but not a single Hindu candidate is nominated on the position of district chairman. PPP leader and former advisor to Chief Minister Sindh, Sharmila Farooqi said that there are possibilities that no any women candidate has applied for district chairman, otherwise PPP leadership might have considered the women on districts. “Also, it is not an easy task for women to work on district level, its very difficult job and not only in rural districts, but in mega cities like Karachi, it is very difficult for women to work as district chairman or mayor,” she told Daily Times over telephone. However, party leader claim that PPP has nominated large number of minority candidates in town and union council level. Surendar Valasai, advisor to PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari for Minority Affairs said that PPP has nominated 18 candidates for Chairmen and Vice Chairmen from Minority communities in different local bodies at Town Committees in Sindh. He also issued a list of minority candidates nominated by PPP on towns level, most of the candidates are either family members or close relatives of Hindu MPAs, MNAs and senators, however not a single candidates from Sikh, Ahmedis, Christian or other minorities are nominated by the PPP for the local bodies.