Pakistan's Asif Ali Zardari was sworn in as the country's 14th president on Sunday, March 10. Following, this there has been talks in the Pakistan's political circles that Zardari will announce his youngest daughter, Aseefa Bhutto Zardari, as country's First Lady – a marked difference from the tradition where the role is assumed by the president's wife.
The news got traction after Aseefa's elder sister Bakhtawar Bhutto Zardari congratulated Zardari and Aseefa in becoming Pakistan's president and first lady.
President Zardari, who was widowed after the assassination of his wife and former prime minister Benazir Bhutto in 2007, did not choose to remarry. Consequently, the role of the first lady remained unoccupied throughout his initial term as the country's president, spanning from 2008 to 2013.
This is not the first time a presidents have invited their daughters, sisters, and even nieces to assume the role of the first lady. In the case of former United States President Andrew Jackson, a widower, he requested his niece Emily Donelson to fulfill the duties of the country's first lady. Additionally, two other US presidents, Chester Arthur and Grover Cleveland, requested their sisters to take on the responsibilities of the first lady.
Who is Aseefa Bhutto Zardari?
Aseefa Bhutto Zardari, the youngest daughter of Zardari and Pakistan's iconic political figure Benazir Bhutto, has been making her mark in the country's political landscape. Born on February 3, 1993, Aseefa's influential Bhutto-Zardari family has played a prominent role in Pakistani politics for decades.
In recent years, the 31-year-old has often been likened to her mother. Aseefa was first officially seen being involved the country's politics at a Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) rally in Multan on November 30, 2020.
Having obtained her bachelor's degree in Politics and Sociology from Oxford Brookes University, UK, she furthered her academic pursuits by earning a Master's degree in Global Health from University College London (UCL).
Over the years, Aseefa has become an advocate for social justice, education, and healthcare. She has been particularly vocal about issues affecting women and children in Pakistan. Aseefa has actively participated in various philanthropic activities through the Bhutto family's charitable organization, the Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Foundation.
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