Asif Ali Zardari was inaugurated as the nation’s 14th president on Sunday, prompting speculation about who would assume the role of first lady of Pakistan.
During the oath-taking ceremony at the President’s House in Islamabad, Zardari was accompanied by his youngest daughter, Aseefa Bhutto Zardari, as reported by The News on Monday.
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The significance of this was highlighted when Bakhtawar Bhutto Zardari, the eldest daughter, mentioned Aseefa in a tweet on Sunday, showing her accompanying their father to the ceremony.
From accompanying Pres @AAliZardari to all his court hearings to fighting for his release from jail – now by his side as First Lady of #Pakistan ♥️ @AseefaBZ https://t.co/Fr6mGtJZfD
— Bakhtawar B-Zardari (@BakhtawarBZ) March 10, 2024
The tweet stated: “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,” concluding with Aseefa’s name. Traditionally, the first lady is the president’s wife, but in this case, President Zardari is a widower following the tragic death of his wife, former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, in 2007.
Since then, President Zardari did not remarry, and the position of the first lady remained vacant during his first presidential term from 2008 to 2013. However, the situation is different now, as Aseefa was a teenager during her father’s previous tenure as head of state and is now 31 years old.
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Aseefa was actively involved in the party’s electoral campaign leading up to the February 8 polls, spearheading various rallies to garner support for her brother, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, who was the party’s candidate for prime minister.
According to Arab News, Aseefa made her political debut at a Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) rally in Multan on November 30, 2020.
Additionally, in the past, Madar-e-Millat Fatima Jinnah occasionally accompanied her brother, Quaid-e-Azam, to various official events, as he was also a widower.
Instances from foreign countries show that presidents who were widowers have asked their daughters, sisters, or even nieces to assume the role of first lady. For example, former United States President Andrew Jackson appointed his niece Emily Donelson to serve as the country’s first lady. Moreover, two other US presidents, Chester Arthur and Grover Cleveland, asked their sisters to fulfill the role of first lady.