The Eighth Phase - February 18, 2008 Elections & Onwards
The elections held on February 18, 2008 will always be remembered in the history of Pakistan as a major turning point. Held in the shadows of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto’s martyrdom, the events which followed also proved historical. Dr. Fehmida Mirza, a third-time winner from a rural general constituency in Sindh’s remote Badin district was elected with an overwhelming two-third majority as the first Woman Speaker of the House, not only in Pakistan but in the entire Muslim World. Along-with her, as many as 15 other women were also elected from the General seats.
Women Members Elected on General Seats in the National Assembly of Pakistan 2008-Till date
|
Sr. No.
|
Name
|
Constituency
|
|
1
|
Ms. Sumaira Malik (PML)
|
NA-69 Khushab-I
|
|
2
|
Ms. Raheela Baluch (PPP-P)
|
NA-78 Faisalabad-IV
|
|
3
|
Mst. Ghulam Bibi Bharwana (PML)
|
NA-87 Jhang-II
|
|
4
|
Ms. Saima Akhtar Bharwana (Ind)
|
NA-90 Jhang-V
|
|
5
|
Ms. Farkhanda Amjad (PML)
|
NA-92 T.T.Singh-I
|
|
6
|
Ms. Saira Afzal Tarar (PML-N)
|
NA-102 Hafizabad-I
|
|
7
|
Dr. Firdous Ashiq Awan (PPP-P)
|
NA-113 Sialkot-II
|
|
8
|
Ms. Sumaira Yasir Rasheed (PML-N)
|
NA-115 Narowal-I
|
|
9
|
Ms. Samina Khalid Ghurki (PPP-P)
|
NA-130 Lahore-XIII
|
|
10
|
Begum Tehmina Daultana (PML-N)
|
NA-169 Vehari-III
|
|
11
|
Ms. Hina Rabbani Khar (PML-Q)
|
NA-177 Muzafargarh-II
|
|
12
|
Ms. Faryal Talpur (PPP-P)
|
NA-207 Larkana-IV
|
|
13
|
Dr. Azra Fazal Pechuho (PPP-P)
|
NA-213 Nawabshah-I
|
|
14
|
Mrs. Shamshad Sattar Bachani (PPP-P)
|
NA-223 Hyderabad-VI
|
|
15
|
Dr. Fehmida Mirza (PPP-P)
|
NA-225 Badin-II
|
|
16
|
Ms. Khushbakht Shujaat (MQM)
|
Na-250 Karachi-XII
|
Source: Library of National Assembly of Pakistan Records
The women returning on reserved seats were:
Women Members Elected on Reserved Seats in the National Assembly of Pakistan 2002-2007
|
Sr. No.
|
Name
|
Constituency
|
|
1
|
Begum Ishrat Ashraf (PML-N)
|
Punjab
|
|
2
|
Ms. Maimoona Hashmi (PML-N)
|
Punjab
|
|
3
|
Ms. Qudsia Arshad (PML-N)
|
Punjab
|
|
4
|
Ms. Tahira Aurangzaib (PML-N)
|
Punjab
|
|
5
|
Ms. Nuzhat Sadiq (PML-N)
|
Punjab
|
|
6
|
Ms. Nighat Parveen Mir (PML-N)
|
Punjab
|
|
7
|
Ms. Khalida Mansoor (PML-N)
|
Punjab
|
|
8
|
Ms. Shahnaz Saleem (PML-N)
|
Punjab
|
|
9
|
Ms. Parveen Masood Bhatti (PML-N)
|
Punjab
|
|
10
|
Ms. Sabeen Rizvi (PML-N)
|
Punjab
|
|
11
|
Ms. Shireen Arshad Khan (PML-N)
|
Punjab
|
|
12
|
Ms. Surriya Asghar (PML-N)
|
Punjab
|
|
13
|
Ms. Tasneem Siddiqui (PML-N)
|
Punjab
|
|
14
|
Ms. Nisar Tanveer (PML-N)
|
Punjab
|
|
15
|
Ms. Shaheen Ishfaq (PML-N)
|
Punjab
|
|
16
|
Ms. Anusha Rahman Khan (PML-N)
|
Punjab
|
|
17
|
Ms. Beelum Hasnain (PPP-P)
|
Punjab
|
|
18
|
Ms. Shakeela Khanum Rashid (PPP-P)
|
Punjab
|
|
19
|
Ms. Fauzia Habib (PPP-P)
|
Punjab
|
|
20
|
Ms. Mehreen Anwar Raja (PPP-P)
|
Punjab
|
|
21
|
Ms. Yasmeen Rehman (PPP-P)
|
Punjab
|
|
22
|
Ms. Rukhsana Bangash (PPP-P)
|
Punjab
|
|
23
|
Ms. Naseem Chaudhary (PPP-P)
|
Punjab
|
|
24
|
Ms. Palwasha Khan (PPP-P)
|
Punjab
|
|
25
|
Ms. Farzana Raja (PPP-P)
|
Punjab
|
|
26
|
Justice (R) Fakharunnisa Khokhar (PPP-P)
|
Punjab
|
|
27
|
Ms. Samina Mushtaq Pagganwala (PPP-P)
|
Punjab
|
|
28
|
Ms. Shahnaz Wazir Ali (PPP-P)
|
Punjab
|
|
29
|
Ms. Kashmala Tariq (PML)
|
Punjab
|
|
30
|
Dr. Attiya Inayatullah (PML)
|
Punjab
|
|
31
|
Ms. Bushra Rehaman (PML)
|
Punjab
|
|
32
|
Begum Shahnaz Shaikh (PML)
|
Punjab
|
|
33
|
Ms. Nosheen Saeed (PML)
|
Punjab
|
|
34
|
Ms. Marvi Memon (PML)
|
Punjab
|
|
35
|
Dr. Donya Aziz (PML)
|
Punjab
|
|
36
|
Ms. Fiza Junejo (PML)
|
Sindh
|
|
37
|
Ms. Shery Rehman (PPP-P)
|
Sindh
|
|
38
|
Ms. Nafisa Shah (PPP-P)
|
Sindh
|
|
39
|
Ms. Fauzia Wahab (PPP-P)
|
Sindh
|
|
40
|
Ms. Rubina Saddat Qaimkhani (PPP-P)
|
Sindh
|
|
41
|
Ms. Farah Naz Ispahani (PPP-P)
|
Sindh
|
|
42
|
Ms. Shagufta Jumani (PPP-P)
|
Sindh
|
|
43
|
Dr. Mehreen Razaque Bhutto (PPP-P)
|
Sindh
|
|
44
|
Dr. Nahid Shahid Ali (MQM)
|
Sindh
|
|
45
|
Ms. Kishwar Zahra (MQM)
|
Sindh
|
|
46
|
Ms. Fauzia Ejaz Khan (MQM)
|
Sindh
|
|
47
|
Ms. Imrana Saeed Jamil (MQM)
|
Sindh
|
|
48
|
Ms. Shagufta Sadiq (MQM)
|
Sindh
|
|
49
|
Ms. Reena Kumari (PML-F)
|
Sindh
|
|
50
|
Ms. Bushra Gohar (ANP)
|
N.W.F.P.
|
|
51
|
Ms. Jamila Gilani (ANP)
|
N.W.F.P.
|
|
52
|
Ms. Khurshid Begum (ANP)
|
N.W.F.P.
|
|
53
|
Ms. Asma Arab Alamgir (PPP-P)
|
N.W.F.P.
|
|
54
|
Malik Mehrunnisa Afridi (PPP-P)
|
N.W.F.P.
|
|
55
|
Ms. Farhat Khan (PPP-P)
|
N.W.F.P.
|
|
56
|
Dr. Imtiaz Sultan Bukhari (PML-N)
|
N.W.F.P.
|
|
57
|
Ms. Farzana Mushtaq Ghani (PML)
|
N.W.F.P.
|
|
58
|
Ms. Zubaida Jalal (PML)
|
Balochistan
|
|
59
|
Dr. Zil-e-Huma (PPP-P)
|
Balochistan
|
|
60
|
Ms. Aasiya Nasir (MMA)
|
Balochistan
|
Source: Library of National Assembly of Pakistan Records
The Senate elections were held in March 2009. With its new composition, 17 women Senators were elected:
Women Senators Elected on Reserved Seats in the Senate of Pakistan 2009-Till date
|
Sr. No.
|
Name
|
Constituency
|
|
1
|
Ms. Nilofar Bakhtiar
|
Punjab
|
|
2
|
Ms. Gulshan Saeed
|
Punjab
|
|
3
|
Begum Najma Hameed
|
Punjab
|
|
4
|
Syeda Sughra Imam
|
Punjab
|
|
5
|
Ms. Alman Parveen
|
Sindh
|
|
6
|
Ms. Ratna Bhagwandas
|
Sindh
|
|
7
|
Ms. Sameen Yousuf Siddiqui
|
Sindh
|
|
8
|
Ms. Shirala Malik
|
Sindh
|
|
9
|
Ms. Farah Aqil Shah
|
N.W.F.P.
|
|
10
|
Ms. Farhat Abbas
|
N.W.F.P.
|
|
11
|
Ms. Fauzia Fakhar-uz-Zaman
|
N.W.F.P.
|
|
12
|
Ms. Afia Zia
|
N.W.F.P.
|
|
13
|
Ms. Suriya Amiruddin
|
Balochistan
|
|
14
|
Ms. Kalsoom Parveen
|
Balochistan
|
|
15
|
Ms. Raheela Yahya Baluch
|
Balochistan
|
|
16
|
Ms. Sabina Rauf
|
Balochistan
|
|
17
|
Dr. Saeeda Iqbal
|
Federal Capital
|
Source: Library of Senate of Pakistan Records
The presence of women in such historically high numbers enabled women to play a more dynamic role and seek offices beyond the traditional “welfare oriented” jobs. It was thus for the first time that Ms. Sherry Rehman served as Minister for Information from February 2008 to March 2009 and Begum Tehmina Daultana remained Federal Minister of Science & Technology from February 2008 to August 2008. Besides her, the cabinet of Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gillani has Dr. Firdaus Ashiq Awan and Ms. Samina Khalid Ghurki as Federal Ministers and Ms. Mehreen Anwar Raja, Ms. Hina Rabbani Khar and Ms. Shagufta Jumani are Ministers of State. Ms.Farzana Raja heads the biggest-ever welfare project in Pakistan’s history, Benazir Income Support Programme and is in the status of a Federal Minister while Ms. Shahnaz Wazir Ali serves as Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Social Sector. Another Member, Ms. Nafisa Shah is serving as Chairperson of the National Commission on Human Development.
There are 5 women Members serving as Parliamentary Secretaries and 6 have been elected as Chairpersons of the Standing Committees.