Asif Ali Zardari, who became the President of Pakistan, wants to declare his daughter Asifa Bhutto as the first lady of the country.
If this happens, it will be the second time in the history of Pakistan, when instead of the wife of a President, his daughter will get the status of First Lady.
Asifa’s mother Benazir Bhutto was also the country’s PM and was assassinated during a rally in 2007. 31 year old Asifa Bhutto has been associated with the awareness campaign regarding polio in Pakistan.
She has also campaigned for her brother Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, but is rarely seen with her father.
Zardari and Bilawal Bhutto do not have very good relations. It is being said that Bilawal Bhutto was seeking the post of PM or President for himself.
But Zardari told him that first he should understand politics better. He should not think of becoming PM or President directly.
Apart from this, it is also being said that Asif Ali Zardari is more fond of his daughters. He wants Asefa to be ready in the next few years. He wants to see Aseefa in the role of another Benazir.
According to sources, Maryam Nawaz Sharif has now become the CM of Punjab. Now whenever elections are held, she will be the face of Nawaz Sharif’s party Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz.
In such a situation, Zardari wants Asefa to be prepared to compete with Maryam. Apart from this, Asif Ali Zardari feels that by promoting daughter Asifa, control over son Bilawal will also remain.
Before Asefa, former President Ayub Khan had given the status of First Lady to his daughter. The reason for this was that his wife was very old and her health was also not good. In such a situation, his presence would have been difficult when he traveled to a country or when a guest arrived.
In Pakistan the First Lady is called Khatoon-e-Hawwal. Usually, this status is given only to the wife of the President or the Prime Minister, but in the absence of a wife or at the wish of the President, any other woman in the family can also get this status.
Asif Ali Zardari is also worried about the future of his party. He wants that Bilawal should not get complete freedom even on party funds.