Fahmida creates history, becomes first woman Speaker of Pakistan

After Benazir who created History by becoming the youngest and first woman Prime Minister of Pakistan, here is Fahmida Mirza who has created another history by being elected as the first woman Speaker of Pakistan’s National Assembly today by winning 249 votes in 342 seat National Assembly.

The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) on Tuesday nominated Fahmida Mirza as its candidate for the post of speaker on Tuesday and speculation was very much positive of Fahmida winning the post in National Assembly on Wednesday.

Fahmida, who belong to Sindh province is an eminent politician carries a legacy of her rich and successful political background and this is her third term in the National Assembly.

On her selection as the candidate for the post of speaker PPP spokeswoman Farzana Raza said,” She is the best choice and a genuine party loyalist. She has a big role to perform.”

“She will be the first woman speaker in Pakistan's history. It will encourage women in Pakistan,” she added.

She later told that this step is an apt message to tell people of Pakistan and the whole world that her party does believe in women empowerment.

Fahmida sounded confident illustrating her nomination as historic decision but vowed to work with all her sincerity.

The other contender filed for the posts are Israr Tareen of PML-Q and Khushbakht Shujaat of Muttahida Qaumi Movement.

The statistics of PPP and PML-N which has emerged as the single largest party with 87 and 66 seats respectively in the recent polls have together backed Fahmida’s candidature for the post.

For the Deputy Speaker, PPP has nominated Faisal Karim Kundi, a young parliamentarian from the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) who defeated Maulana Fazlur Rehman, head of the religious Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) in the polls.

The world is looking at Pakistan’s which is struggling hard to retrieve from the turmoil and electing Fahmida for the post of Speaker marks the important change of its transition period.