Aseefa Bhutto takes oath as MNA

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Aseefa Bhutto, daughter of party co-Chairman and President Asif Ali Zardari, took oath on Monday as Member National Assembly (MNA) after her unopposed election from NA-207 (Benazirabad), ARY News reported.

Speaker National Assembly, Dr Ayaz Sadiq administered oath to the newly elected member, who later signed the roll of members.

President Dr Asif Ali Zardari, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Bakhtawar Bhutto along with her husband were in attendance.

Aseefa Bhutto was elected to the National Assembly seat in Shaheed Benazirabad, NA-207, which fell vacant after her father Asif Ali Zardari elected as 14th President of Pakistan.

The Returning Officer (RO) confirmed that 11 candidates initially submitted their nomination papers for the by-election. However, after scrutiny, only four candidates, including Aseefa, had their papers approved.

In a brief statement, the Election Commission of Pakistan said the remaining three candidates withdrew their nomination papers, resulting in election of Aseefa Bhutto as MNA.

She had actively been involved in PPP’s electoral campaign in the run-up to the February 8 general elections and was seen leading various rallies in a bid to seek support for her brother Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari. She made her political debut at PPP rally in Multan on November 30, 2020.