Afghan Biographies

Ishaqzai, Malalai Mrs.


Name Ishaqzai, Malalai Mrs.
Ethnic backgr. Pashtun
Date of birth 1975
Function/Grade Wolesi Jirga Member 2018 MP MNA Kandahar
History and Biodata

2. Previous Functions:
Wolesi Jirga Member 2005 MP MNA Kandahar
Wolesi Jirga Candidate 2009 MP MNA Kabul
Wolesi Jirga Member 2018 MP MNA Kandahar
3.Biodata:
ishaqzai_malalaiMalalai Ishaqzai was born 1975 in Panjwaij District, Kandahar Province. She got a High school education. She was a Member of the government affair committee in Wolesi Jirga (2005). Ishaqzai has traveled to Paris.

Ishaqzai once supported President Hamid Karzai, also a Kandahar native, but she now feared  the consequences of his push to negotiate with the Taliban. So in last year's presidential election (2009) she backed the main challenger and former foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah. She openly criticises Karzai and his half-brother Ahmad Wali Karzai - a Kandahar powerbroker many locals believe is involved in drug-smuggling and corruption. But she does so from the relative safety of Kabul and in this election she will contest a seat in the capital because her own constituency is no longer safe for her. "Whoever's against the Karzais can't run in Kandahar, so I now run in Kabul," she told The Weekend Australian, predicting massive fraud would again occur in the violent southern province. During last year's presidential election, Ishaqzai claimed Karzai's supporters in Kandahar stuffed so many ballots into boxes they had to push them down with their feet.

When Ishaqzai first ran for parliament she did so calling for gender equality. This time she is focused on corruption, saying the country's mineral wealth must be shared to provide education and jobs for young Afghans, who comprise more than 60 per cent of the 30 million population.

Ihaqzai received 2,900 votes in Wolesi Jirga 2018 election and got a seat in WJ 2018.

 

Last Modified 2019-04-23
Established 2009-10-12