Fehmida Mirza becomes Pakistan's first woman speaker

Islamabad, Mar.19 : Dr. Fehmida Mirza today created history by becoming Pakistan's first ever woman speaker of the National Assembly.

Mirza defeated Israr Tareen in voting that was carried out through secret ballot. She received 249 out of 324 votes, of which 319 were valid and five votes were declared invalid. Israr Tareen received 70 votes.

Dr.Mirza hails from Badin in Sindh and has been winning elections continuously since 1997. She is the 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, The News reports.

Among prominent members of the family are her grandfather Qazi Abdul Qayyum, who was the first Muslim president of the 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.

ANI