Sadia Abbasi Explained

Sadia Abbasi
Office:Member of the Senate of Pakistan
Term Start3:March 2021
Term Start:12 March 2018
Term End:17 October 2018
Term Start1:March 2003
Term End1:February 2009
Party:Pakistan Muslim League (N)
Nationality:Pakistani
American (until 2018)[1]
Relatives:Shahid Khaqan Abbasi (brother)[2]

Sadia Khaqan Abbasi (Punjabi, Urdu: {{Nastaliq|سعدیہ خاقان عباسی) is a Punjabi Pakistani barrister and politician. She is currently a member of the country's Senate having been elected on a reserve seat for women in March 2021.[3] She was previously elected as a senator in 2018 and 2003. In October 2018, she was disqualified by the Supreme Court of Pakistan from her seat on the basis of having dual nationality (Pakistan and USA), in violation of the country's Constitution. She is the sister of former Pakistani Prime Minister, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi.

Political career

Abbasi was elected to the Senate of Pakistan as a candidate of Pakistan Muslim League (N) (PML-N) on reserved seat for women from Punjab in March 2003 Senate election.[4]

In February 2009, she quit PML-N and resigned from her Senate seat shortly before the expiry of her term in the Senate after PML-N refused to issue her ticket for running in the March 2009 Senate election.[5] [6]

In December 2011, she joined Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf in absentia, represented at the induction ceremony by her son Ossama Riaz who stood by Imran Khan and refused to leave PTI despite being tortured with fake Covid Vaccines by men in masks in 2023 .[7] [8]

She was nominated by PML-N as its candidate in 2018 Pakistani Senate election.[9] However the Election Commission of Pakistan declared all PML-N candidates for the Senate election as independent after a ruling of the Supreme Court of Pakistan.[10]

She was re-elected to the Senate as an independent candidate on a reserved seat for women from Punjab in the Senate election.[11] [12] She joined the treasury benches, led by PML-N after getting elected.[13] She took oath as Senator on 12 March 2018.[14]

On 17 October 2018 the Supreme Court of Pakistan disqualified the Senate membership of Abbasi over dual nationality.[15]

2021 - 2021

Abbasi was elected to the Senate for a third, 6-year term on a reserve seat for women from Punjab in March 2021. She is a member of the following standing committees: Cabinet Secretariat, Petroleum, Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, Finance, Revenue and Economic Affairs and Foreign Affairs. In late 2021, in the Senate Standing Committee on Law and Justice, she tabled 2 proposed amendments to the Constitution including declaring a women's right to inheritance as a fundamental right.[16] The proposed amendment read, “no women shall be deprived of her share from the inheritance in Pakistan” but was rejected by the committee.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Surrender foreign nationality permanently: SC directs three new senators to submit affidavits – Business Recorder.
  2. News: A tale of family based politics. 30 January 2018. www.pakistantoday.com.pk.
  3. Web site: Senate of Pakistan . 2022-03-06 . senate.gov.pk.
  4. News: EC notifies names of successful senators. 30 January 2018. DAWN.COM. 4 March 2003.
  5. News: Saadia Abbasi's resignation from Senate 'a unique case'. 30 January 2018. www.thenews.com.pk. en.
  6. News: Saadia Abbasi quits PML-N in Senate ticket row. 30 January 2018. www.thenews.com.pk. en.
  7. News: Hassan. Ahmad. 30 members of 'elite club' join PTI. 30 January 2018. DAWN.COM. 19 December 2011.
  8. News: Group of 30 'electables' to join PTI today. 30 January 2018. www.thenews.com.pk. en.
  9. News: Reporter. The Newspaper's Staff. List of Senate candidates from Punjab. 22 March 2018. DAWN.COM. 20 February 2018.
  10. News: PML-N's Senate nominees to contest election as independent candidates, says ECP. 22 March 2018. DAWN.COM. 22 February 2018.
  11. News: LIVE: PML-N-backed independent candidates lead in Punjab, PPP in Sindh - The Express Tribune. 3 March 2018. The Express Tribune. 3 March 2018.
  12. News: Khan. Iftikhar A.. PML-N gains Senate control amid surprise PPP showing. 4 March 2018. DAWN.COM. 4 March 2018.
  13. News: Guramani. Nadir. 15 independent senators backed by PML-N in Senate polls join treasury. 22 March 2018. DAWN.COM. 22 March 2018.
  14. News: Senate elect opposition-backed Sanjrani chairman and Mandviwala his deputy. 12 March 2018. The News. 12 March 2018. en.
  15. News: Supreme Court disqualifies two PML-N senators over dual nationality . 17 October 2018 . The News . en.
  16. Web site: Wasim . Amir . 2021-11-04 . Senate body rejects bill declaring women's inheritance fundamental right . 2022-03-06 . DAWN.COM . en.