Zardari’s daughter Aseefa Bhutto is Pak’s First Lady
Shehbaz inducts 19-member Cabinet week after assuming charge as PM
ISLAMABAD: In a historic decision, Pakistan President Asif Zardari decided to formally recognise his daughter Aseefa Bhutto (31) as the First Lady of the country, according to a media report.
The status of the First Lady goes to the wife of the President of the country in general. But Zardari became a widower after his wife and former prime minister Benazir Bhutto was assassinated in 2007. Zardari did not remarry and the position of the first lady also remained vacant during his first tenure as the country’s president — from 2008 to 2013. Zardari, 68, was sworn in as the country’s 14th president on Sunday. During his oath-taking ceremony at the President’s House in Islamabad, Zardari was accompanied by his youngest daughter, Aseefa.
President Zardari decided to declare Aseefa Bhutto as the first lady of Pakistan, ARY News reported. This became particularly relevant when Bakhtawar Bhutto Zardari, the eldest daughter, tagged Aseefa in a tweet.
The text read: “From accompanying president Asif Zardari to all his court hearings to fighting for his release from jail — now by his side as First Lady of Pakistan” and added Aseefa’s name at the end.”
The Bhutto-family-led Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) seems to be confirming Zardari’s decision.
“Who will be the first lady of Pakistan? This is the question on many people’s minds after #PresidentAsifAliZardari took oath as 14th President of Pakistan after having been accompanied by his youngest child @AseefaBZ as he was ushered to his oath-taking,” the party’s handle posted on X.
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif inducted 19 members into his Cabinet, ending the tenuous wait for the completion of government formation in the cash-strapped country. Newly-elected President Asif Ali Zardari administered the oath to 19 members of the Cabinet at a ceremony held in the President’s House and was attended by Prime Minister Sharif among others. Those who took oath included Ishaq Dar, Khawaja Asif, Ahsan Iqbal, Muhammad Aurangzeb, Azam Tarar, Rana Tanvir, Mohsin Naqvi, Ahad Cheema, Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Riaz Prizada, Qaiser Sheikh, Shaza Fatima, Aleem Khan, Jam Kamal, Amir Muqam, Awais Leghari, Atta Tarar, Salik Hussian and Musaddiq Malik. The portfolio of the new minister will be announced later. Aurangzeb will likely be the finance minister, Dar as the foreign minister, and Khawaja Asif the defence minister. Azam Tarar will be the law minister, Atta Tarar as information minister, Musaddik Malik as petroleum minister, Mohsin Naqvi as interior minister and Ahad Cheema as minister for Kashmir affairs. Three technocrats — M Aurangzeb, M Naqvi and A Cheema have been included in the cabinet as advisors. The cabinet has only one woman, Shaza Fatima. PTI leaders have criticised the formation of the Cabinet, saying it comprises those leaders who have lost the people’s mandate.