Shireen Mazari Explained

Shireen Mazari
Office:Minister of Human Rights
President:Mamnoon Hussain
Arif Alvi
Primeminister:Imran Khan
Term Start:20 August 2018
Term End:10 April 2022
Predecessor:Roshan Khursheed Bharucha (caretaker)
Office1:Member of the National Assembly of Pakistan
Term Start1:13 August 2018
Term End1:29 July 2022
Constituency1:Reserved seat for women
Term Start2:1 June 2013
Term End2:31 May 2018
Constituency2:Reserved seat for women
Birth Date:1949 4, df=yes Quetta, Balochistan, Pakistan[1]
Nationality: Pakistan
Alma Mater:London School of Economics
Columbia University[2]
Political Party:Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (2013-2023)
Spous:Tabish Aitbar Hazir (died-2022)
Residence:Islamabad, Islamabad Capital Territory, Pakistan
Children:Imaan Zainab Mazari
Successor:Riaz Hussain Pirzada
Successor1:Asiya Azeem

Shireen Mehrunnisa Mazari (Urdu: {{Nastaliq|شیریں مہر النساء مزاری) is a former Pakistani politician who served the Federal Minister for Human Rights, from 20 August 2018 to 10 April 2022. She is the chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Appointment of Chief Election Commissioner and Members of the Election Commission of Pakistan. She has been a member of the National Assembly of Pakistan since August 2018, and served as a chief whip for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf. Previously, she was a member of the National Assembly from June 2013 to May 2018.[2] [3]

Mazari studied at the London School of Economics and later received her PhD from Columbia University in political science.[2] Mazari joined Quaid-i-Azam University as an associate professor and went on to head the university's strategic studies department. In 2002, Mazari became the head of the government-funded Institute of Strategic Studies and remained until she was sacked in 2008. In 2009, Mazari became the editor of The Nation.[2]

Early life and education

Mazari, an ethnic Baloch,[4] is a graduate of the London School of Economics. She received her PhD in political science from Columbia University.[5] [6] [7]

Professional career

In 2008, Government of Pakistan removed Mazari from the post of Director General of The Institute of Strategic Studies where she was due to retire in 2009.[8]

In 2009, Mazari was appointed as the editor of The Nation.[9] [10] She also hosted a weekly television show on the Waqt News. Mazari came under intensive criticism from the Committee to Protect Journalists after she publicly alleged an American journalist to be a CIA spy.[11]

She had been an associate professor at Quaid-i-Azam University and later became chairperson of the university's Department of Defense and Strategic Studies.

Personal life

Shireen is married to Tabish Aitbar Hazir. The couple has a daughter, Imaan Zainab Mazari Hazir[12] and a son Sabeel Hazir.[13] [14]

Political career

Mazari joined the PTI in 2008[15] In 2009, she was Information Secretary and Spokesperson of PTI.[16]

In 2012, she resigned from PTI[17] where she was the Central Vice President[18] and in charge of Foreign Policy.[19] citing "policy differences and its takeover by corrupt elements"[20] after she was served a show cause notice by PTI for "making unfounded, incorrect, inaccurate and false statements in the media".

She rejoined PTI in 2013.

She was elected as the member of the National Assembly of Pakistan for the first time in 2013 Pakistani general election on the ticket of PTI on reserved seats for women from Punjab.[21] [22] [23] [24] [25]

She was the chief whip of PTI in the National Assembly of Pakistan.[26]

She was re-elected to the National Assembly as a candidate of PTI on a seat reserved for women from Punjab in the 2018 Pakistani general election.[27]

On 18 August, Imran Khan formally announced his federal cabinet structure and Mazari was named as Minister for Human Rights.[28] On 20 August 2018, she was sworn in as Federal Minister for Human Rights in the federal cabinet of Prime Minister Imran Khan.[29]

In January 2020, she strongly condemned an attack on Karak temple[30] by a mob of 1,500 local Muslims led by a local Islamic cleric and the supporters of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam party.[31]

In May 2022, she was arrested, but released after Islamabad High court ordered her release and called the arrest unlawful.[32]

Resignation

On April 10, 2022, because of the Vote of No Confidence, She resigned from the National Assembly on the orders of Imran Khan. The newly elected Speaker accepted the resignations of eleven members on July 28, 2022, one of them was Shireen Mazari. [33] After the 09/05 vandalism of Army installations, the beneficiaries of regime change after accusing the PTI members and leadership, carried out mass-scale arrests. Shireen Mazari upon 5 consecutive arrests and bails announced her retirement from active politics.On May 23, 2023, Shireen Mazari made the decision to leave the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party and publicly announced her retirement from active politics seemingly under considerable duress. Mazari cited personal reasons as the basis for her departure from the political arena.[34] But according to some sources Sheeren Mazari left politics as she was forced to leave politics by the PDM government and the Army Establishment.

Controversies

In 2019, after a terrorist attack in London, she chose to criticize Pakistan's leading newspaper Dawn for publicizing that the terrorist had been a man of Pakistani origin, rather than deploring the attack itself or offering condolences. She accused Dawn to pursue an anti-Pakistani agenda. While mobs surrounded the offices of Dawn calling for the editor to be hanged, she left the defense of the freedom of expression in Pakistan to others, such as Reporters without Borders.[35] [36] [37]

On 21 November 2020, Mazari while citing an online article, wrote on Twitter that French president "Macron [was] doing to Muslims was what the Nazis did to the Jews – Muslim children will get ID numbers (other children won't) just as Jews were forced to wear the yellow star on their clothing for identification". French government denounced Mazari's tweet as "fake news and false accusation" and stated that "the proposed ID would be for all children in France". Bina Shah, a writer and New York Times columnist, said "just like in Pakistan, where as soon as you register a child's birth, the child will get assigned a 13 digit number which is then their NIC number when they reach 18".[38] [39] Later, Mazari deleted her tweet and issued a clarification stating that the article on the basis of which she had written her tweet has been amended. The online article, which was quoted by Mazari, now includes a clarification stating that the new law will be applied to all children in France. Foreign Ministry of France thanked Mazari for deleting her tweet and accepted her clarification.[40] [41]

Shireen Mazari has also been criticized for her silence on China's persecution of Uyghurs during a talkshow at Al Jazeera. However, Mazari said that "there may be such cases in China and we have taken up those cases with the Chinese and that is how we deal with our allies."[42]

Works

Books

Research papers

More Reading

Notes and References

  1. News: 1966-born Shireen Mazari arrested in a case registered in 1972. 21 May 2022. 21 May 2022. The Express Tribune (newspaper). ...The former federal minister, who was born on April 26, 1951, was booked on a....
  2. News: Shireen Mazari . 11 August 2018 . ARY News . 15 December 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191219222330/https://arynews.tv/en/shireen-mazari/ . 19 December 2019 . live .
  3. Web site: 2018-08-20 . PTI's chief whip: Shireen Mazari . 2022-05-22 . The Express Tribune . en.
  4. Web site: Shireen Mazari Twitter. 10 December 2019.
  5. Book: Markey. Daniel S.. No exit from Pakistan : America's tortured relationship with Islamabad. 2013. Cambridge University Press. New York. 978-1-10-762359-0. 4 March 2017. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20161023204251/https://books.google.com/books?id=SZ_qAAAAQBAJ&pg=PA38&lpg=PA38&dq=nationalist+shireen+mazari&source=bl&ots=8uTnPwbJtA&sig=aUdQJqRF7-wygywxj2UZBKR5iNE&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjZob7GgPHPAhVGto8KHaTbBLYQ6AEIXDAJ#v=onepage&q=nationalist%20shireen%20mazari&f=false. 23 October 2016.
  6. News: Making some sense out of nonsense. 4 March 2017. Pakistan Today. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170304194513/http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2013/12/21/making-some-sense-out-of-nonsense/. 4 March 2017.
  7. News: TheNation welcomes new Editor. 4 March 2017. The Nation. 8 September 2009. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170304193442/http://nation.com.pk/politics/08-Sep-2009/TheNation-welcomes-new-Editor. 4 March 2017.
  8. News: ISSI DG Shireen Mazari removed. 4 March 2017. Daily Times. 15 May 2008. bot: unknown. https://web.archive.org/web/20120209033016/http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2008%5C05%5C15%5Cstory_15-5-2008_pg7_8. 9 February 2012.
  9. News: Shireen Mazari replaces Arif Nizami as Editor The Nation. 4 March 2017. 8 September 2009. bot: unknown. https://web.archive.org/web/20111012042839/http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2009%5C09%5C08%5Cstory_8-9-2009_pg7_24. 12 October 2011.
  10. News: CIA slur has chilling parallel with Pearl. 4 March 2017. The Australian. 25 November 2009.
  11. Web site: International press decries attack on Rosenberg. https://web.archive.org/web/20170403203104/https://cpj.org/blog/2009/11/international-press-decries-attack-on-rosenberg.php. dead. Bob. Dietz. 16 November 2009. 3 April 2017.
  12. Web site: 2023-10-31 . Imaan Hazir Mazari Net Worth, Age, Height, Weight, Husband, Dating, Bio & Wiki . 2023-11-01 . en-US.
  13. News: Shireen Mazari's daughter, Imaan, roasts Pak army for propping terrorists. The Times of India. December 2017 .
  14. News: Shireen Mazari's daughter slams DG ISPR. Business Standard India. 30 December 2017.
  15. News: Reserved seats for women and the elite's hold on them - The Express Tribune. 4 March 2017. The Express Tribune. 7 June 2013. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170305034453/https://tribune.com.pk/story/560239/reserved-seats-for-women-and-the-elites-hold-on-them/. 5 March 2017.
  16. News: Clarification. 4 March 2017. The News. 7 September 2009. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20100220004822/http://thenews.jang.com.pk/print3.asp?id=24368. 20 February 2010.
  17. News: Shireen Mazari rejoins PTI - thenews.com.pk. 4 March 2017. The News. 20 March 2013. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20130319193638/http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-2-166185-Shireen-Mazari-rejoins-PTI. 19 March 2013.
  18. News: Shireen Mazari quits PTI - The Express Tribune. 4 March 2017. The Express Tribune. 26 September 2012. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170304194924/https://tribune.com.pk/story/442692/shireen-mazari-resigns-from-pti/. 4 March 2017.
  19. News: Shireen Mazari resigns, alleges PTI hijacked by 'big money'. 4 March 2017. DAWN.COM. 26 September 2012. en. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170304193910/https://www.dawn.com/news/752171/shireen-mazari-resigns-from-pti. 4 March 2017.
  20. News: Shireen Mazari quits PTI. 4 March 2017. DAWN.COM. 26 September 2012. en. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170305034533/https://www.dawn.com/news/752275/shireen-mazari-quits-pti. 5 March 2017.
  21. News: Women, minority seats allotted. 7 March 2017. DAWN.COM. 29 May 2013. en. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170307205110/https://www.dawn.com/news/1014677. 7 March 2017.
  22. News: PML-N secures most reserved seats for women in NA - The Express Tribune. 4 March 2017. The Express Tribune. 28 May 2013. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170304195047/https://tribune.com.pk/story/555511/pml-n-secures-most-reserved-seats-for-women-in-na/. 4 March 2017.
  23. News: Women's reserved seats: Top politicians' spouses, kin strike it lucky - The Express Tribune. 4 March 2017. The Express Tribune. 30 May 2013. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170212164311/https://tribune.com.pk/story/556356/womens-reserved-seats-top-politicians-spouses-kin-strike-it-lucky/. 12 February 2017.
  24. News: Bye bye PTI?. 4 March 2017. DAWN.COM. 4 June 2013. en. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170304193556/https://www.dawn.com/news/1016007. 4 March 2017.
  25. News: Capital varsity bill passed amid walkout. 4 March 2017. DAWN.COM. 19 May 2015. en. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170304193826/https://www.dawn.com/news/1182893. 4 March 2017.
  26. News: PTI's Mazari questions ISPR silence on army sackings. 4 March 2017. DAWN.COM. 22 April 2016. en. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170305034900/https://www.dawn.com/news/1253707. 5 March 2017.
  27. News: Reporter . The Newspaper's Staff . List of MNAs elected on reserved seats for women, minorities . 12 August 2018 . DAWN.COM . 12 August 2018.
  28. News: PM Imran Khan finalises names of 21-member cabinet . 18 August 2018 . DAWN.COM . 18 August 2018.
  29. News: 16 ministers from PM Imran Khan's cabinet sworn in . 20 August 2018 . DAWN.COM . 20 August 2018.
  30. News: Historic Hindu temple set ablaze in KP's Karak. SAMAA. Basit Gilani. 30 December 2020. 20 January 2020.
  31. News: Pakistan arrests more than a dozen over Hindu temple attack. Aljazeera. 31 December 2020. 20 January 2021.
  32. Web site: Video: When Shireen Mazari was arrested . 2022-05-21 . www.geo.tv . en.
  33. Web site: Resignations of 11 PTI MNAs accepted . 2022-07-28 . The Express Tribune.
  34. Web site: Dawn.com . 2023-05-23 . In first major blow for PTI, Shireen Mazari leaves party and quits 'active politics' . 2023-05-23 . DAWN.COM . en.
  35. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/pakistan-dawn-newspaper-protests-london-bridge-usman-khan-a9232246.html Pakistan newspaper besieged by Islamists calling for editor to be hanged over London Bridge coverage
  36. https://www.voanews.com/extremism-watch/london-attack-coverage-prompted-riots-against-pakistani-newspaper London Attack Coverage Prompted Riots Against a Pakistani Newspaper
  37. http://hrcp-web.org/hrcpweb/recent-attacks-against-independent-media-in-pakistan/ Recent attacks against independent media in Pakistan
  38. News: Staff. 22 November 2020. France demands Pakistan rectifies Macron Nazi jibe. en. Reuters. 2020-11-22.
  39. https://newsable.asianetnews.com/pakistan/shireen-mazari-fake-news-emmanuel-macron-muslim-registration-france-vpn-qk6var Pakistan minister Shireen Mazari exposed, France busts her fake news
  40. https://www.geo.tv/latest/319942-france-accepts-shireen-mazaris-apology-over-insulting-comments-on-president-emmanuel-macron France thanks Shireen Mazari for deletion of tweet against President Macron
  41. https://www.dawn.com/news/1591774 Mazari deletes tweet containing Macron Nazi jibe after news website issues correction
  42. https://www.dialoguepakistan.com/pakistan-has-taken-up-issue-of-uyghurs-with-china-shireen-mazari/ Pakistan has taken up issue of Uyghurs with China: Shireen Mazari