Woman leader of opposition
REHMAN SAYS IT IS VICTORY OF BENAZIR’S VISION TO EMPOWER WOMEN
Former information minister Sherry Rehman is first woman to be elected to the post in Senate |
Former Pakistan Information Minister Senator Sherry Rehman was elected yesterday as the first woman leader of the opposition in the Senate — the Upper House of the Parliament.
“It is the victory of Benazir Bhutto’s vision which sought to empower women across the world,” Rehman told Gulf News from Islamabad after her election to lead opposition parties in the senate.
She said she would work more for women’s causes as ‘Pakistan’s women were never silent, they were just not heard.’
“I look forward to working with all senators in the opposition to represent the interests of the federation,” she said.
Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Zardari took to Twitter earlier to express hope that the party vice-president would make history by becoming the first woman to lead the opposition in the Senate.
“I would like to thank my party leadership and other allies in the Opposition who reposed confidence in me as Leader of the Opposition at a key moment in the democratic journey in Pakistan,” she said.
Rehman, 57, also tweeted: “Congratulations to everyone! The PPP wants everyone to work in unison to ensure the Senate continues to deliver.”
PPP, after getting its candidates, Sadiq Sanjrani and Saleem Mandviwalla elected as Senate chairman and deputy chairman respectively has now occupied the office of the opposition leader with the support of 34 members. Rehman is the PPP’s seventh opposition leader in the Senate.
PPP had started lobbying for Senator Rehman after party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari nominated her for the position.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chief Imran Khan who supported PPP in elected the PPP candidate Sanjrani as Chairman of the Senate, opposed this move but failed to stop Rehman from become the Leader of Opposition.