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| India-Pakistan |
| Pak parliament set for first female speaker |
| 2008-03-19 |
| ISLAMABAD - The party of slain former prime minister Benazir Bhutto on Tuesday nominated a key loyalist to be the first woman speaker of Pakistan’s parliament, officials said. Fahmida Mirza, 52, is now all but certain to win the top post in the 342-seat lower house of parliament, or national assembly, which will hold the election for the post on Wednesday. Mirza, a veteran politician from Bhutto’s home province of Sindh, would be the first female speaker in the 60-year history of this deeply conservative Islamic nation of 160 million people. “She is the best choice and a genuine party loyalist. She has a big role to perform,” PPP spokeswoman Farzana Raja told AFP. “She will be the first woman speaker in Pakistan’s history. It will encourage women in Pakistan,” Raja said. “Through her appointment the PPP wants to give a message to the people of Pakistan and the international community that the party genuinely believes in empowerment of women.” The speaker conducts the business of the house, deciding which debates or motions are allowed and will play a key role in a parliament that looks set for a major showdown with Musharraf. |
| Posted by:Steve White |
| #1 Hope her will's made out.... |
| Posted by: Barbara Skolaut 2008-03-19 19:05 |