PPP's Sadia elected first deputy speaker of GB Assembly
Pakistan
She has become second PPP woman leader to be elected to the high office after Fehmida Mirza
(Web Desk) – Sadia Danish of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) became the first woman deputy speaker of the Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly when was elected unopposed on Monday.
Ms Danish has become second PPP woman leader to be elected to the high office in assemblies after Fehmida Mirza who remained speaker of the National Assembly from 2008 to 2013.
No member from the opposition submitted nomination papers for the deputy speaker’s officer. She was nominated as the seventh deputy speaker of GB Assembly by the ruling alliance comprising the PPP, the PML-N, the JUI-F and members of PTI’s forward bloc members.
Hailing from Gilgit, she was elected to the assembly in 2020 on a women’s seat. She also remained a member of the assembly from 2009 to 2014 and served as tourism and information minister.
Speaker Nazir Ahmed had summoned the 22nd session of the assembly to elect for deputy speaker.
The session, which started at 5pm, was also attended by Chief Minister Gulbar Khan. When no candidate submitted nomination paper by the scheduled time, the speaker announced Ms Danish as the deputy speaker.
Later, he administered the oath of office on her.
Talking to the media after taking the oath, she thanked PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari, Chief Minister Gulbar Khan and assembly members.
She said PPP prepared the ground for women’s empowerment when Benazir Bhutto was elected as the first woman prime minister of Pakistan and the Muslim world.
In a fast changing political scenario in Pakistan, GB has got a new speaker, deputy speaker and chief minister within 39 days.
On June 8, Nazir Ahmed was elected as the speaker after his predecessor, Amjad Ali Zaidi, was voted out through a no-confidence motion.
On July 13, Gulbar Khan was elected chief minister, a week after PTI’s Khalid Khurshid was disqualified in a fake degree case.
A disgruntled PTI member who headed one of the party’s forward blocs, Gulbar Khan was supported by the PPP, the PML-N and the JUI-F.
