Samia Usman Fatah (born 28 July 1940)
[The Role of Women Parliamentarians in Pakistani Politics (1970–1988) pg 532](_blank)
Thesis by Ghazala Nawaz QAU, Islamabad 2016. Retrieved 21 November 2020 is a former politician from
Pakistan
Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...
. In 1973, she became the first woman to be elected to the country's Upper House, the
Senate
A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the e ...
.
Background
Fatah came from
Gujrat and was born into a middle-class family.
[Entourage for Prime Minister Bhutto's Trip](_blank)
From US Embassy in Islamabad to State Department. January 1975, US Archives. Retrieved 21 November 2020 She completed her schooling. She is married to Sheikh Usman Fateh.
Career
Fatah and her husband were both founding members of the
Pakistan People's Party
The Pakistan People's Party ( ur, , ; PPP) is a centre-left, social-democratic political party in Pakistan. It is currently the third largest party in the National Assembly and second largest in the Senate of Pakistan. The party was founded ...
(PPP).
Her husband, however left the party in 1972.
In 1968 she was appointed President of PPP's Women's Wing for the
District of Gujrat
Gujrat ( Punjabi and ur, ), is a district of Punjab Province in Pakistan.
It is bounded on the northeast by Mirpur, on the northwest by the River Jhelum, which separates it from Jhelum District, on the east and southeast by the Chenab Rive ...
.
Senate of Pakistan
A PPP candidate, Fatah was elected on a general seat in 1973. This made her the country's first woman senator and the only one during her tenure.
Taking the oath on 6 August 1973, she served one term between August 1973 and August 1975. During her tenure, she served on the Committee on Finance, Planning and Development of the Economic Affairs and Statistical Division.
National Assembly of Pakistan
Again on the PPP ticket, Fatah was elected to the
National Assembly of Pakistan on a special seat in 1977.
Foreign visits
In February 1975, Fatah was part of Prime Minister,
Zulfikhar Ali Bhutto's entourage on his official visit to the USA.
State Dinner
ZAB visit to USA 1975. Ford Library and Museum. Retrieved 21 November 2020
Political activism
She organised protests and demonstrated against the military dictatorship of Zia-ul-Haq in 1977.
External links
* Profile
Senate of Pakistan
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fatah, Samia Usman
People from Gujrat District
1940 births
Women members of the Senate of Pakistan
Women members of the National Assembly of Pakistan
Living people
20th-century Pakistani women politicians