PUL-I-KHUMRI (Pajhwok): Most of the winning provincial council candidates in northern Baghlan province are new faces and highly educated.

The previous provincial council had only three members holding BA degrees, but the council-elect has 7 members having the same qualification.

In the field of 155 contenders, 15 runners, including three women, have found their way to the body. A majority, 11 members elect, are new faces.

Adila Amini, a female winner, said despite being in fewer number, female representatives would try their level best to bring about positive changes to women’s lives.

Amini, who heads Bano civil society group, which has been working to build women’s capacity at the provincial women’s affairs department, told Pajhwok Afghan News: “Women have a very weak role in government entities and the previous council didn’t pay attention to their problems, but we will help women play a better role.”

She said they would try to find job opportunities for poor women and to show the public they had some achievements in this regard.

But Jahangir Jawan, who lost his reelection bid, said the previous members had many achievements during their tenure.

However, Mohammad Nasim, a local resident, claimed the former PC members had been unable manage their affairs in a proper way.

“They only worked to promote the interest of their relatives and created problems for local officials,” said Nasim, hoping the new members would be able to serve the people by joining hands with government officials.

The provincial council elections were conducted simultaneously with the first round of the presidential elections on April 5. As many as 2, 600 individuals, including 308 women, contested the polls, with 458 contenders, including 97 women, emerging winners.

ra/ma