Pakistani woman makes history with run in May vote

KHAR, Pakistan (AP) — A 40-year-old Pakistani housewife has made history by becoming the first woman to run for parliament from the country's conservative northwest tribal region.

Badam Zari told The Associated Press on Monday that she will participate in the May 11 election to give women in the region a greater voice and focus more attention on their problems.

Zari is from Bajur, part of Pakistan's semiautonomous tribal region bordering Afghanistan. The area is a haven for Islamist militants and is mostly populated by Pashtun tribesmen who have very conservative views toward women.

Most women in the tribal region are uneducated and rarely work outside the home.

Zari, who finished high school, says she filed the paperwork necessary to run for office on Sunday in Khar, the main town in Bajur.