Jump to content

Malik Mehr un Nisa Afridi

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Khan79al (talk | contribs) at 05:46, 21 August 2015 (→External links). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Malik Mehr un Nisa Afridi
MNA
ملک مہرالنساءآفریدی
Member 13thNational Assembly of Pakistan
In office
25 March 2008 – 25 March 2013
PresidentAsif Ali Zardari
Prime MinisterYousaf Raza Gillani, Raja Pervaiz Ashraf
ConstituencyReserved Seat for Women
Member 8thNational Assembly of Pakistan
In office
02 December 1988 – 06 August 1990
PresidentGhulam Ishaq Khan
Prime MinisterBenazir Bhutto
ConstituencyReserved Seat for Women
Member Central Executive Committee of PPP
In office
2001–2008
President Women Wing KP
In office
16 May 1985 – 02 February 2010
Personal details
Born(1943-04-07)7 April 1943
Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
Died4 March 2013(2013-03-04) (aged 70)
CitizenshipPakistanPakistani
NationalityPakistanPakistani
Political partyPakistan Peoples Party
   
SpouseUmar Nasir
Children1
ParentMalik Abdul Malik Afridi
ResidencePeshawar
Alma materUniversity of Peshawar
OccupationLawyer, Politician

Malik Merhrun Nisa Afridi ((Template:Lang-ur); (Pashto مالك مَہرُالنساءاپريدي ) born April 7, 1943 – March 4, 2013) was a Pakistani Lawyer and a Politician.[1] She was twice member of the Lower house of Parliament. She was elected on Reserved Seats for Women in the 8th National Assembly[2] from 1988 to 1990 and again in the 13th National Assembly[3] from 2008 to 2013. She joined Pakistan Peoples Party in 1968 as a Student Leader and stayed loyal to her party till her death on March 4, 2013. She was a successful Lawyer well respected by her peers. She was a member of the Central Executive Committee of the Pakistan Peoples Party.[4][5][6]

Early life

Malik Merhrun Nisa Afridi was born in the city of Peshawar in the North-West Frontier Province of British Indian Empire now Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan to Mr. & Mrs. Malik Abdul Malik Afridi. She belonged to the Malikdín Khel clan of the Afridi Tribe. Her father died when she was nine years old. Her mother was a school teacher and later Principle of GHSS Begum Shahabuddin school.

She was member of the Pakistan Girl Guides Association and attended various camps in West Pakistan and East Pakistan (Now Bangladesh). During the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 she was a volunteer and was deputed at Lady Reading Hospital Peshawar to aid the wounded of air raids by India.

She was inspired from her mother and maternal step uncle to join politics. Her mother was active in the Pakistan Movement and was the member of All-India Muslim League. Her mother was at numerous historical protests held in Peshawar against British Rule.

Her Maternal Step Uncle, Malik Waris Khan Afridi, was a member of Indian National Congress. He was imprisoned numerous times for his opposition to British Rule in India.[citation needed]

Drawing inspiration from her mother and uncle she joined politics at an early age first as a Student Leader and then as the President of Gunj Ward.

Education

She received her Primary & Secondary education at GHSS Begum Shahabuddin School. She completed her Matriculation in 1960. Then she went to Government Frontier Collage for Higher Secondary Education and completed her Faculty of Arts (F.A) in 1963. She completed her Bachelor of Arts (B.A) degree in 1965 and Bachelor of Education (B.ed) in 1974 from Collage of Education University of Peshawar. She earned a Masters of Arts Degree (M.A) Pashto held in 1970 and Master of Arts (M.A) Psychology from University of Peshawar. She went to Law Collage Peshawar and earned a degree in Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) in 1978.

She was the Editor of Pashto portion of her college magazine “Taleem”. She was also Editor of College of Education and Law College magazines. She wrote Pashto poetry and Pashto Dramas which were broadcast by Radio Pakistan.

Career as a Lecturer

She was a Lecturer in Pashto selected by Public Service Commission. She taught in well known college of Peshawar named "Frontier College for Women Peshawar" and "Women Degree College Nowshera".

Career as a Lawyer

She started her carer as a Lawyer from 1979 and continued till 2006. She had the license to practice law at the Supreme Court of Pakistan & High Court of Pakistan. During the Martial Law of Zia Ul Haq she actively defended fellow Political Workers from persecution.

She represented underprivileged women mostly victims of domestic abuse and fought for justice for them.

She declined to be appointed as a Judge in 1996 so that she could pursue her political career as the President of Pakistan People Parties Women Wing (KP).

Career as a Politician

File:Benazir Bhutto with Malik Mehrun Nisa Afridi.tif
Benazir Bhutto being greeted by Malik Mehrun Nisa Afridi. Image taken at Peshawar Airport.
Benazir Bhutto interview during Socialist International meeting in 2007. Mehrun Nisa Afridi in Background
File:SIC- Benazir Bhutto & Malik Mehrun Nisa Afridi.tif
Benazir Bhutto & Malik Mehrun Nisa Afridi at Social International's 50th Anniversary held at Lisbon, Portugal, 29-30 June 2001.
File:SIC- Malik Mehrun Nisa Afridi at Social International's 50th Anniversary held at Lisbon, Portugal, 29-30 June 2001.tif
Malik Mehrun Nisa Afridi, written on picture "To Mehrunnissa A brave devoted and dedicated sister". Benazir Bhutto. Portugal June 30, 2001.

She joined PPP in 1968 soon after the Parties was founded by Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto. In 1970 when Hayat Sherpao started PPP Women Wing She was appointed President of Gunj Ward. She organized Gunj Ward by going door to door which was very difficult at that time in conservative Pushtun Society.

She was appointed Chief Organizer Peoples Student Federation (Women Wing) in 1973 the notification to this effect was issued by Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto. Organized PSF in all Departments of University of Peshawar, Gomal University and many other Girls Collages in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

She was elected Provincial General Secretary of PPP Women Wing by two third majority in the inter-party election in 1976 which were supervised by Begum Nusrat Bhutto.

She was sent to an Regional Cooperation for Development (RCD) summit now called Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) in which she traveled to Turkey on April 20, 1977 from there to Iran on April 22, 1977 and finally to USSR on April 27, 1977.

In 1977 martial law was imposed by General Zia ul Haq. She was a member of Bhutto release committee formed by Begum Nusrat Bhutto and organized and led many protests to release Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto.

She was arrested in 1978 by the Military regime of Zia-ul-Haq and spent almost three year in Prison given “C” Class where she was mentally tortured. She was kept in a cell with a mad woman who used to deprive her of sleep by making loud noise. She was asked by the Martial Law authorities to remove the PPP flags from her car and residence. She did not obey the orders of a dictator. She suffered a Heart Attack in prison and was later kept in House Arrest and her house was declared a Sub-Jail.

After release she spent most of the time fighting cases of other political victims who were jailed. In defiance of the military regime she painted her vehicle in the three colors of Pakistan People’s Party. She refused to bow before a dictator and beg for mercy while other prominent party members were doing so during for the sake of their freedom

She was elected the President of Women’s Wing (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) in 1985 and remained till 2 February 2010 when she was too ill to carry on with her duties.

She became a member of Pakistan’s Lower House of Parliament in 1988. She served the nation till the Parliament was dissolved by President Ghulam Ishaq Khan.

She was appointed member of five Standing Committee in different Ministries.

As MNA she went on an official visit to Hungary, on 22 October 1989.

As MNA she went on an official visit to Geneva, Switzerland on 14 November 1989.

As MNA she went on an official visit to The United States of America on 24 November 1989.

In 1996 when People’s Party again came to power she was an adviser and a confidant of Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.

Martial Law was imposed once again in 1999 by General Musharraf. She was once again struggling for her party by organizing protests. She worked very hard to organize the party in those turbulent times.

She became the Member of the Central Executive Committee of the Pakistan Peoples Party from 2001 to 2008.

Benazir Bibi conveyed her wish, to Mehrun Nisa Afridi to associate herself with National Democratic Institute[7] (NDI) for the promotion of ladies in politics. She contacted NDI and they offered her to become a Master Trainer N.W.F.P. Which she accepted. Consequently, a three-day workshop was held in Islamabad to this effect which she attended. After coming back to Peshawar she organized three workshop's for ladies, one each at Dera Ismail Khan, Lukky Marwat and Haripur. The turnout of the ladies from different political parties was most encouraging. The ratio of lady trainees from Pakistan Peoples Party was the highest in these workshops. The team of NDI appreciated her work.

She attended Social International's 50th Anniversary held at Lisbon, Portugal, 29–30 June 2001 with Benazir Bibi.[8]

She attended Social International's CASABLANCA COUNCIL - Peace, Security, Development held at Casablanca, Morocco, 31 May-1 June 2002 with Benazir Bibi.[9]

She attended Socialist International Women held at Athens, Greece, 27–28 January 2006.[10]

She attended Meeting of the Council of the Socialist International held at Geneva, Switzerland, 29–30 June 2007 with Benazir Bibi.[11]

She became Member of the National Assembly again in 2008.

She was a Member of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Women's Development[12] and Standing Committee on States and Frontier Regions (SAFRON).[13]

She requested party ticket to contest in the 2013 General Election from NA-18. However she was hospitalized and passed away.

Notable Incidents

Assassination Attempt

The was a grenade attack on the house of Mehrun Nisa Afridi in 1995. There was no loss of life or injuries however there was a significant property damage. A First information report (FIR) was lodged against unknown assailants. No one was apprehended.

This event did not deter her and she continued to struggle for democracy and human rights, especially for women in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Presence at 2007 attack on Benazir Bhutto

Mehrun Nisa Afridi was present at the rally of 18 October 2007 in Karachi, when the motorcade carrying Benazir Bhutto was attacked. She had received Benazir Bhutto at the airport and was part of the rally. Luckily she was not injured, however 139 party workers were killed many from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Benazir Bhutto visited Peshawar in December 2, 2007.[14] Mehrun Nisa Afridi received Benazir Bibi at the airport and accompanied her. Benazir Bibi addressed a workers' convention amid tight security.

Illness and Death

Mehrun Nisa Afridi suffered from Parkinson's Disease since 2006 her health deteriorated slowly as the disease progressed. She was hospitalized on February 26, 2013 and was diagnosed with Meningitis which resulted in renal failure and finally she died from Cardiac Arrest[15] on March 4, 2013 at around 1:20am.

The lower house of Parliament held collective prayers for Mehrunisa Afridi and victims of the Abbas Town attack. Following its tradition of suspending all legislative business on the occasion of a sitting member’s death, the National Assembly’s Monday session was adjourned after offering prayers for PPP’s Mehrunnisa Afridi who had died in Peshawar on Sunday night after a brief illness.[16][17]

President Asif Ali Zardari described her as "an advocate defending human rights in her capacity as former president of the women’s wing of the PPP Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and as a parliamentarian.[18]

Legacy

She was a role model for young women in a very conservative society especially at a time when women were confined to their houses. She stood up against the brutal regime of Zia-ul-Haq and defied the full might of the oppressive regime.

Her struggle for democracy and sacrifices during Martial Law of Zia-ul-Haq set her apart from many Women Politicians.

See also

References

  1. ^ http://www.na.gov.pk/en/profile.php?uid=249
  2. ^ http://www.na.gov.pk/uploads/former-members/8th%20National%20Assembly.pdf
  3. ^ http://www.na.gov.pk/uploads/former-members/13th%20National%20Assembly.pdf
  4. ^ Government of Pakistan
  5. ^ Women's Parliamentary Caucus
  6. ^ http://khyber1.rssing.com/chan-18278469/all_p1.html
  7. ^ https://www.ndi.org/pakistan
  8. ^ http://socialistinternational.org/viewArticle.cfm?ArticlePageID=949
  9. ^ http://www.socialistinternational.org/viewArticle.cfm?ArticlePageID=149
  10. ^ http://www.socintwomen.org.uk/en/resolutions/20060127-athens-participants.html
  11. ^ http://www.jaumebartumeu.com/web/wp-content/uploads/2007/07/20070630-is-ginebra-llistat-de-participants.pdf
  12. ^ http://www.na.gov.pk/uploads/documents/1303527397_649.pdf
  13. ^ http://www.na.gov.pk/uploads/documents/1303527875_973.pdf
  14. ^ http://archives.dailytimes.com.pk/national/02-Dec-2007/benazir-bhutto-visits-peshawar-amid-tight-security
  15. ^ http://pakobserver.net/201303/05/detailnews.asp?id=198863
  16. ^ http://tribune.com.pk/story/515959/in-circles-stunned-by-attack-senators-grope-for-answers-on-unrest/
  17. ^ http://jworldtimes.com/Article/42013_WORLD_IN_FOCUS
  18. ^ http://tribune.com.pk/story/515610/transitions-ppp-mna-passes-away/
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Pakistan Peoples Party.


Template:Persondata

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=Malik_Mehr_un_Nisa_Afridi&oldid=677113399"