April 16, 2024
Bilal Baseer
ISLAMABAD
Aseefa Bhutto Zardari, the youngest daughter of President Asif Ali Zardari and former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, was sworn in as a member of the National Assembly (MNA) amid sloganeering from the opposition benches on Monday, April 15.
Aseefa was elected unopposed as an MNA from NA-207 Shaheed Benazirabad (formerly Nawabshah) on March 29. Asif Ali Zardari vacated the seat after he was elected president of the country.
Aseefa arrived at the assembly hall accompanied by her brother and MNA Bilawal Bhutto Zardari. She was greeted in the hall by lawmakers belonging to the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP). Several other party leaders were also present in the galleries as guests.
The assembly hall reverberated with slogans of ‘Jeay Bhutto’ on Aseefa’s arrival. Independent lawmakers affiliated with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) voiced their protest against the skewed election results and demanded the release of their party founder, Imran Khan, by chanting slogans.
Speaker Ayaz Sadiq administered the oath to the newly elected member of the National Assembly. The session, initially set to commence at 5pm, was delayed by half an hour.
The treasury members protested against the behaviour of the opposition. Amid noisy protest by the opposition, Bilawal gave her headphones, which she wore to hear the speaker, administering the oath. After taking the oath, she signed the roll of members.
She then went to the guest gallery and shook hands with her sister Bakhtawar Bhutto Zardari. Later, she and Bilawal left the assembly hall. Aseefa went to the Speaker’s chamber to meet her father, who watched the proceedings on a TV screen there.
The government members pointed out the lack of quorum to the speaker. After the count, the quorum was found not in order. On that the speaker adjourned the session for an indefinite period.
Speaking to Voicepk, Nasir Khurro, PPP lawmaker, said Aseefa is the daughter of Benazir Bhutto, well-educated, and comes from a political lineage. “I am confident that she possesses the ability to uphold the democratic values that the PPP tradition embodies, a cause for which her family has long fought and sacrificed.”
Sharmila Faruqui, another PPP lawmaker, said, Aseefa exemplifies the spirit of Benazir Bhutto. “It is a time of both joy and emotion. I miss Benazir Bhutto’s presence in the parliament.”
She added that Aseefa has embarked on parliamentary politics, “carrying forward her mother’s vision.”
Shahram Tarakai, a PTI MNA, said that during the elections, the PTI candidate was prevented from contesting in elections from Nawabshah, which resulted in Aseefa being elected unopposed.
He added that while they respect those who come with a mandate but it is not acceptable for them that those who claim to be champions of democracy and then act in ways that undermine democracy for their own interests.