Samina Khalid Ghurki is a Pakistani politician, from the Pakistan’s Peoples Party. Ms Samina Khalid Ghurki was born on August 13, 1956 in Lahore, Punjab. She was the only woman elected as Member of National Assembly for her first term in 2002 from the constituency of NA-130, the largest of constituency Lahore.
She was re-elected in 2008, defeating her opponents; Sadia Shabir (PMLN) and Ashiq Diyal (PMLQ). She is currently the Federal Minister for Social Welfare and Special Education in the cabinet of Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani.
She was sworn in as federal minister on the 3rd of November by President Asif Ali Zardari. Returning from Islamabad after taking oath as federal minister, Samina Ghurki was greeted by a cheerful gathering of PPP, including Provincial IT Minister Farooq Ghurki, Khalid Ghurki, Arshad Ghurki. Farooq Ghurki, speaking on the occasion, said the PPP had expressed great confidence in the Ghurki family.
Samina Khalid Ghurki completed her Bachelor Studies from Lahore College for Women in 1976. Married, Samina is the mother of two sons and two daughters. She is active in the community welfare and social work of her constituency. Her family funds the Ghurki Trust Teaching Hospital in Ghurki, Lahore.
She comes from a strong political family. Her husband Khalid Ghurki an ex-MP and an ex-parliamentary secretary, he was the Town Nazim of Wagah Town, Lahore. Along with Jhangir Badr he has been the leading figure of the PPPP from the Lahore chapter. Other family members in politics include Farooq Ghurki (Provincial Minister for Information and Technology), Arshad Ghurki, the late Muhammad Iqbal Ghurki (Former Provincial Minister)
Family
She is mother of two sons and two daughters.
MsSamina Khali Ghurki in Politics
Ms Samina came into politics by chance in 2002 general elections when her husband?and?her brothers could not contest election because of a bar on undergraduates. The reason the family decided for Samina to contest election which she won she becoming the first ever woman to win a general seat of National Assembly from Lahore.
Talking about family in an intrview she says
“It is really tough to give proper time to family when you are in politics. Just imagine that during election campaign I would leave home at nine in the morning and return home around midnight most of the time. Before leaving home I would give complete schedule of the day to my children about what they were supposed to do during the whole day.
I would also give instructions to the cook about food for the day. I remained in constant contact with my children all the day but I tell you its really tough to take care of your near and dear ones if you are in politics. Some time I could not even attend their phone calls because other people want me to listen to their problems. One should keep in mind all these possibilities before jumping into politics and I have no complaints. All the children in my constituency are like my own children to me.
Her areas of legislative interests are Health, Education and Women Affairs. She is a member of the Standing Committee on Welfare and Special Education. She also represents the PPPP on the Standing Committee of Local Government Affairs. She was among the 9 MPs to sign the UNIFEM’s ‘say no to violence against women’ campaign in New York.
Pakistan’s current government has inducted the highest number of women at the federal, provincial and local level of government since independence. But still women in Pakistan do not have any real political power, says Shehar Bano Khan
Begum Mehnaz Rafi, an MNA (Member of the National Assembly), Lower House of the parliament, selected on a reserved seat by the ruling party, the PML(Q) Pakistan Muslim League (Quaid), applauds the government for inducting the highest number of women at the federal, provincial and local level of government since independence.
“We have the highest number of women in the parliament and a huge number is serving at the local government level. President Musharraf withstood opposition from the religious groups when the Women Protection Bill was passed last year, which provides women protection against the false charges of adultery,” extols Ms Rafi.
Ms. Samina Khalid Ghurki can be reached at the following address
BY POST
17/1-J, DHA Lahore, Punjab Town Lahore Pakistan
Email: saminakghurki@hotmail.com
Contact Information in Islamabad F-108,
Parliament Lodges Islamabad
Phone No(off): 051-9221785
Edited by Jamal Panhwar (Copy rights reserved, text and pictures not permited to publish without prior permission)
