Women felt elated and people generally hailed as Pakistan had its first ever woman Speaker of the National Assembly. Born on December 20, 1956 in Karachi, Dr. Fehmida Mirza took over the chair from outgoing Speaker Chaudhry Amir Hussain after her election by overwhelming two-third majority in the secret ballot.

An agriculturist and business woman by profession, Dr. Fehmida Mirza is also a medical graduate, having obtained MBBS degree from Liaquat Medical College, Jamshoro in 1982. 

She won National Assembly seat thrice in a row in general elections held in 1997, 2002 and 2008. A respected figure in Pakistan People’s Party, Dr. Fehmida is wife of one of Asif Ali Zardari’s closest friends, Dr. Zulfikar Ali Mirza. She is sister of former MNA Qazi Asad Abid. A shrewd political activist, she had been a staunch PPP loyalist and remained steadfast during the party’s difficult times in her decade-long political career.

Source: Associated Press of Pakistan