In a recent development during Tuesday’s session, significant news emerged as Ansoo Kohli, often hailed as Sindh’s own Malala, faced a setback in her aspirations for the upcoming general elections. It was disclosed that the Returning Officer (RO) in Umerkot rejected Ansoo Kohli’s nomination papers citing her age as the primary reason. Despite being 23 years and nine months old, Ansoo Kohli fell short of the minimum age requirement of 25 years to apply for an MNA seat. The RO Officer emphasized, “The candidate is 23 years and nine months old, while the minimum age for applying to an MNA seat is 25 years.”
Following this decision, Ansoo expressed her disappointment but remained resolute in her determination to pursue her mission. She affirmed, “Although I am saddened, I will contest in the next election, and I will continue to struggle for the better future of children in my area.”
Ansoo, a 23-year-old girl with physical impairments, had submitted her nomination papers as an independent candidate for the general elections in Tharparkar’s constituency NA-220. Her fame rose in 2014 when she transformed her cattle pen into a school, catering primarily to children from the underprivileged Kolhi community in her area. Despite lacking formal training in teaching special children, Ansoo extended education to both boys and girls, including those with physical and mental impairments.
Located in Min-a Ji Dhani village, around 27 kilometers from Umerkot city, the school initially began with just eight students but has now expanded to accommodate over 300. Ansoo’s remarkable contributions prompted the Sindh Assembly to affectionately nickname her ‘Sindh’s Malala,’ drawing parallels to Malala Yousafzai’s advocacy for education and her status as the youngest Nobel Prize laureate.
The rigorous process of scrutinizing nomination papers, aimed at eliminating ineligible candidates from the electoral race, commenced on Tuesday, following the completion of the nomination paper submission phase by prospective candidates.
Meanwhile, notable figures including PPP-Parliamentarian’s Nawab Yasuf Talpur, Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA)’s candidate and former Sindh Chief Minister Arab Ghulab Rahim, and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s Shah Mehmood Qureshi obtained clearance to contest the election from NA-220, Tharparkar, after their nomination papers received approval during scrutiny. It’s worth noting that in 2013, PPP’s Nawab Yasuf Talpur emerged victorious in this constituency.
