Dr. Fehmida Mirza today created history when she became the first ever woman to be elected as speaker of Pakistan’s National Assembly. If I am not wrong, she is also the first every woman to achieve this position in entire Muslim world. She was the candidate of PPP, PML(N), ANP and JUI(F) and secured more than 2/3 of the total votes. She got 249 out of 324 votes casted while her opponent Sardar Mohammad Israr Tareen of PML(Q) could only secure 70 votes. It was interesting to see JUI(F) chief Moulana Fazal Ur Rehman voting for a woman candidate when first he showed some reservations. I guess ministries and urge to join government makes one do anything and everything :). Faisal Kundi has been elected deputy speaker defeating Khush Bakht Shujat.
Dr. Fehmida Mirza belongs to a very influential family of Hyderabad, Sindh and her husband Zulifiqar Mirza is considered a very trusted and close friend of PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari. During previous governments of Benazir Bhutto, Mirza was often accused of being Asif Zardari’s front-man in alleged shady deals. That was why Mirza, whose car registration Zulfi One, used to make waves in the federal capital during those days, disappeared from the scene after the dismissal of second Benazir government in 1996.
Dr. Fehmida Mirza won NA seat in February 18 elections from Badin on a general seat and her husband has also been elected in Sindh Assembly. According to official website of PPPP, born on December 20, 1956 in Karachi, she is an agriculturist and business woman by profession and is politically affiliated with the PPPP. She was previously elected MNA in 1997. Dr. Fehmida Mirza did her M.B.B.S degree from Liaquat Medical College, Jamshoro in the year 1982. Married, with two sons and two daughters, she has travelled to U.S.A, U.K, Canada, Switzerland, France, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Indonesia and Thailand. She enjoys reading.
According to Geo:
Dr. Fehmida Mirza has been elected first ever woman speaker of National Assembly.
Opposition had nominated Israr Tareen for speaker’s office. The voting was carried out through secret ballot.
Dr Fahmida Mirza received 249 out of 324 votes, of which 319 were valid and five votes were declared invalid. Asrar Tareen received 70 votes.
Dr Fehmida Mirza hails from Badin in Sindh and has been winning elections continuously since 1997. She is wife of Dr Zulfiqar Ali Mirza, a close friend of PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari. Hailing from an influential political family of Sindh, the 51-year-old Dr Fehmida Mirza has won the National Assembly seat in open electoral contest from Badin in 1997, 2002 and 2008.
Among prominent members of the family are her grandfather Qazi Abdul Qayyum, who was the first Muslim president of Hyderabad Municipality.
Her uncle Qazi Muhammad Akbar was a member of the Provincial Assembly and served as minister of home, finance, public works and information at various times. Dr Mirza’s father Qazi Abid started his political career as Chairman Hyderabad Division Council. He later served as Federal Minister for Education, Water and Power, Food and Agriculture and Information. He was also thrice Secretary General of the APNS.
Her brother Qazi Asad has served as APNS secretary-general nine times and also remained the CPNE secretary-general. He was also a PPP MNA and in that capacity served as chairman of the standing committee on information. Her cousin Qazi Aslam has been secretary-general APNS four times.
We sincerely wish Dr. Fehmida Mirza best of luck and hope this assembly would be run in a much better way than the previous one. Let’s hope that government formation process completes quickly now and everyone is able to focus on real issues on hand.
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mohammed ali javid:
Pakistan is less safer than 1999, but better off economically because unlike the 90’s we had much better economic management, and unlike the 90’s we now live in the era of suicide terrorism. Any leader will have to combat this menace.
Mr Gillani selection as PM means Makhdoom Amin Fahim’s years of loyalty and service to Benazir Bhutto has gone down the drain. Pakistanis should enjoy these intrigues, betrayals and politics alongwith slogans of democracy. We shall see after 2 years whether any actual work was done.
Yousaf Raza Gilani it is.
.Tina has made some pertinent and valid remarks. The statement like:
”Tina: Musharraf already got rid of the Hudood Ordinances, what are you on about.”
is entirely wrong. The Hudood Ordinances and Blasphemy Act have been amended but they have never been repealed. They are integral part of Pakistani Laws.
It is true that the election of Dr. Fehmida Mirza as the speaker of the parliament gives a big hope to the feminists. Here also I agree with Tina that nothing will change in the misery and suffering of Pakistan women. Dr Mirza belongs to another class. She is not aware of the problems of ordinary Pakistani women. As the speaker of the house she will preside over the discussion of the parliament with an impartial attitude without taking no active part in favour or against any Party. Besides this, she will not have any other executive authority. Remember Benazir Bhutto? During her two terms of PM, what did she do for women? Ruling class women are different types!!
She is indeed very learned and qualified person, but her winning card is not this. It is mainly the family background as pointed out by Tina. All the present members of Parliament are highly educated persons. All of them have at a University degree of a Bachelor level or its equivalents.
Not being a graduate also may keep Zardari away from the by-polls to be held next month if parliament cannot undo the restriction imposed by Musharraf that only graduates can contest the polls.
People vote for an individual who presents himself as a candidate in the local constituency. The same candidates come back on every voting occasion and people do their best to choose the best. It is not the fault of the people that in Pakistan even the Democracy is Truncated.
The beauty, the intelligence, the higher University degrees and sharp legal minds, nothing will change the present condition of Pakistani people unless the government is (of, by, for) the people. For that we have to apply complete democracy neither Islamic nor Truncated.
Everything said and done, this is definitely a great victory for the women and liberal minded people in Pakistan. The issue is really whether it brings about an improvement in the status of women in our society. Behavioral changes can take upto generations. And Gill Sahib, Tina is quite right. The Hudood Ordinance is still very much on our law books, although another law has been brought in to soften its impact on women.
Statistically, it might be interesting to note that we had the first women representative in the Constituent Assembly (Shaista Ikramullah) in 1947, Ambassador (Raana Liaquat) in 1954, Vice Chancellor (Dr Kaniz Yousuf) in 1972, Minister (Mehmooda Sultana) Education West Pakistan 1962, Deputy Speaker National Assembly (Dr Ashraf Abbasi) in 1972, Governor (Raana Liaquat) in 1973, Prime Minister (Benazir Bhutto) in 1988 and Governor State Bank (Shamshad Akhter) in 2006. And now the Speaker NA in 2008. In between we had the President Women’s Bank. A few years ago we had the first Major General (Dr Shahida Malik) currently Director General Health, perhaps also the first. Miss Gulzar Bano was the first female Federal Secretary (seventies) who had a brief stint as Cabinet Secretary (eighties) also. I think Justice Majida Rizvi was the first female member of the superior judiciary.
Let us think positively and be more optimistic about the future despite overwhelming odds.
I agree with Mr. Aqil. It is a clever move, more significant for the outside world.
A few questions for Mr. Aamir. Is ruining the country prerogative only of the dictators? Is common man’s condition is better then 1999? Is Pakistan is safer then 1999? Are a few billion dollars in our coffers today, a guarantee of our sovereignty? Who presided over the disaster of 1971?
Why contempt for politicians only. Perhaps, you should have said ‘no one should be allowed to ruin and bankrupt the country’.
Tina: Musharraf already got rid of the Hudood Ordinances, what are you on about.
Politicians cannot be allowed to simply ruin and bankrupt a country like they had done by 1999.
This is a positive thing for women and its value is more than symbolic.
As the speaker, she will be in charge of the house proceedings and she will also be in a position to ensure that women legislatures have adequate time to talk. One has often read/heard the complaint that barring a small number of vocal women like Sherry Rehman, Kashmala Tariq, Tehmina Doltana, the majority of them are not able/allowed to properly participate due to the attitude of their chauvinistic colleagues. She has an excellent opportunity to bring about a positive change in the culture of the assembly. I hope she makes good use of it and wish her all the best.