Fahmida Mirza

Fahmida Mirza
فہمیدہ مرزا
Mirza in 2012
Federal Minister for Inter Provincial Coordination
In office
20 August 2018 – 10 April 2022
PresidentArif Alvi
Prime MinisterImran Khan
Preceded byMuhammad Azam Khan (caretaker)
16th Speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan
In office
19 March 2008 – 3 June 2013
DeputyFaisal Karim Kundi
Preceded byChaudhry Amir Hussain
Succeeded byAyaz Sadiq
Member of the National Assembly of Pakistan
In office
13 August 2018 – 10 August 2023
ConstituencyNA-230 (Badin-II)
In office
1 June 2013 – 31 May 2018
ConstituencyNA-225 (Badin-II)
In office
17 March 2008 – 16 March 2013
ConstituencyNA-225 (Badin-II)
In office
16 November 2002 – 15 November 2007
ConstituencyNA-225 (Badin-II)
In office
14 February 1997 – 12 October 1999
ConstituencyNA-173 (Badin-II)
Personal details
Born (1956-12-20) 20 December 1956 (age 69)
Karachi, Pakistan
SpouseZulfiqar Mirza
RelationsZafar Hussain Mirza (father-in-law)


Ali Kazi (cousin)
ChildrenHasnain Mirza (son)
Parent
EducationLiaquat Medical College

Fahmida Mirza (Urdu: فہمیدہ مرزا; Sindhi: فهميده مرزا; born 20 December 1956) is a Pakistani politician. She served as the 16th Speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan from 19 March 2008 to 3 June 2013, becoming the first woman to hold that office. She subsequently served as Federal Minister for Inter Provincial Coordination from 20 August 2018 to 10 April 2022 in the cabinet of Prime Minister Imran Khan. She has been a member of the National Assembly of Pakistan across five terms: 1997 to 1999, 2002 to 2007, 2008 to 2013, 2013 to 2018, and 2018 to 2023.

Early life and education

Mirza was born on 20 December 1956 in Karachi. She is the daughter of Qazi Abdul Majeed Abid, a politician and journalist from Hyderabad.

Mirza completed her schooling at St Mary's Convent in Hyderabad in 1972. She obtained her MBBS degree from Liaquat Medical College in Jamshoro in 1982. She also worked as chief executive of a Karachi-based advertising company and as chief executive officer of Mirza Sugar Mills.

Political career

Pakistan Peoples Party (1997 to 2018)

Mirza joined the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) in 1997 and was elected to the National Assembly of Pakistan from constituency NA-173 (Badin-II) in the 1997 Pakistani general election.

She was re-elected from constituency NA-225 (Badin-II) in the 2002 Pakistani general election, receiving 71,537 votes and defeating Khan Mohammad Halipota of the Pakistan Muslim League (Q) (PML-Q).

She was re-elected from constituency NA-225 (Badin-cum-Tando Muhammad Khan-II) in the 2008 Pakistani general election, receiving 88,983 votes and defeating Bibi Yasmeen Shah of PML-Q.

Speaker of the National Assembly (2008 to 2013)

On 19 March 2008, Mirza was elected the 18th Speaker of the National Assembly, the first woman to hold the position. She received 249 votes, defeating Muhammad Israr Tareen, who secured 70 votes.

Return to National Assembly (2013 to 2018)

Mirza was re-elected from constituency NA-225 (Badin-cum-Tando Muhammad Khan-II) in the 2013 Pakistani general election, receiving 110,738 votes and defeating Bibi Yasmeen Shah of the Pakistan Muslim League (F) (PML-F).

Departure from PPP and Grand Democratic Alliance (2018)

In May 2018, Mirza resigned from the PPP, stating that the party's government had caused deteriorating conditions in Sindh and had ignored the people of Badin.[citation needed] In June 2018, she joined the Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA).

Also in June 2018, both Mirza and her husband Zulfiqar Mirza were declared loan defaulters by the State Bank of Pakistan.

Mirza was re-elected to the National Assembly from constituency NA-230 (Badin-II) as a GDA candidate in the 2018 Pakistani general election.

Federal Minister for Inter Provincial Coordination (2018 to 2022)

On 18 August 2018, Prime Minister Imran Khan announced his federal cabinet, in which Mirza was named Federal Minister for Inter Provincial Coordination. She was sworn in on 20 August 2018. She held the portfolio until 10 April 2022.

Personal life

Mirza is married to Zulfiqar Mirza. She has two sons and two daughters.

References

  1. 1 2 "Woman elected Pakistani speaker". news.bbc.co.uk. BBC News. Archived from the original on 25 February 2017. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
  2. ↑ "If elections are held on time". thenews.com.pk. The News International. 31 December 2012. Archived from the original on 12 September 2017. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
  3. 1 2 3 "Sindhi speaker seals fate of Fahim". thenews.com.pk. The News International. 19 March 2008. Archived from the original on 22 August 2017. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Wasim, Amir (19 March 2008). "First madam speaker takes oath today". dawn.com. Dawn. Archived from the original on 22 August 2017. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
  5. 1 2 "A glance at Sindh's female election hopefuls". dawn.com. Dawn. 7 May 2013. Archived from the original on 4 March 2017. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
  6. 1 2 "Seat vacated by Mirza a tough call for Zardari". dawn.com. Dawn. 21 October 2011. Archived from the original on 22 August 2017. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
  7. ↑ "11th National Assembly: Former members" (PDF). na.gov.pk. National Assembly of Pakistan. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 February 2017. Retrieved 1 September 2018.
  8. ↑ "General Election 2002: National Assembly results" (PDF). ecp.gov.pk. Election Commission of Pakistan. Archived (PDF) from the original on 22 January 2018. Retrieved 1 September 2018.
  9. ↑ "General Elections 2008: Report, Volume II" (PDF). ecp.gov.pk. Election Commission of Pakistan. Archived (PDF) from the original on 5 January 2018. Retrieved 1 September 2018.
  10. ↑ Asghar, Raja (20 March 2008). "NA elects first woman speaker by two-thirds majority". dawn.com. Dawn. Archived from the original on 14 December 2017. Retrieved 1 September 2018.
  11. ↑ "Pakistan General Elections 2013: Detailed results". dawn.com. Dawn. 12 May 2013. Archived from the original on 3 March 2017. Retrieved 3 March 2017.
  12. ↑ "Dr Fehmida Mirza wins from Badin's NA-225". dawn.com. Dawn. 11 May 2013. Archived from the original on 22 August 2017. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
  13. ↑ "General Elections 2013: Election Report, Volume II" (PDF). ecp.gov.pk. Election Commission of Pakistan. Archived (PDF) from the original on 1 February 2018. Retrieved 1 September 2018.
  14. ↑ "Dr Fehmida Mirza leaves PPP". pakistantoday.com.pk. Pakistan Today. 19 May 2018. Retrieved 1 September 2018.
  15. ↑ "Fehmida, Zulfiqar Mirza join Grand Democratic Alliance, slam PPP". dailytimes.com.pk. Daily Times. 3 June 2018. Archived from the original on 27 July 2018. Retrieved 3 June 2018.
  16. ↑ "Dr Mirza, wife declared loan defaulter by State Bank". thefrontierpost.com. The Frontier Post. 26 June 2018. Archived from the original on 19 September 2018. Retrieved 19 September 2018.
  17. ↑ "GDA's Fehmida Mirza wins NA-230 election". app.com.pk. Associated Press of Pakistan. 26 July 2018. Archived from the original on 3 August 2018. Retrieved 3 August 2018.
  18. ↑ "PM Imran Khan finalises names of 21-member cabinet". dawn.com. Dawn. 18 August 2018. Archived from the original on 18 August 2018. Retrieved 18 August 2018.
  19. ↑ "Sixteen ministers from PM Imran Khan's cabinet sworn in". dawn.com. Dawn. 20 August 2018. Archived from the original on 20 August 2018. Retrieved 20 August 2018.