Sada-e-Watan Sydney ™
sadaewatan@gmail.com
Former Federal Minister Nilofar Bakhtiar is Visiting Australia
Nilofar Bakhtiar
Nilofar Bakhtiar
Nilofar
Bakhtiar is a important public official in Pakistan. She was the Federal
Minister for Tourism in the cabnit of Shaukat Aziz. She was also President PML-Q
Women Wing.Previously, she served in the office of Prime Minister as the Advisor
for Women's Development matters.She was Member of Senate.
Nilofar Bakhtiar was Born in Banu [NWFP] Nilofar Bakhtiar is 46 years old.Married, has two sons and one daughter.The family has a background of Social Worker and Military Service for over 4
generations.Begum Ali Malik, Mother of Nilofer Bakhtiar, was a renowned social
worker and was also the founder and chairperson of The National Committee for
the Repatriation of POWs after the 71 war. At that time Begum Ali Malik went all
over the world and met with Heads of State, and politicians including the Pope
in Italy. Nilofar got passionately involved in social work right from childhood.
Education
High School: Presentation Convent Rawalpindi
College: Bachelor of Arts Punjab University
Masters in Public Administration, Carnegie Mellon University
Social Activism
Nilofer’s main thrust of work has been on the uplift of women, health and
educational projects.
Politics
Joined Pakistan Muslim League in 1990. Elected as a
member of the Municipal Corporation for headed PML election campaigns in 1990,
1993, and 1997.
Nilofar Bakhtiar was also elected as member for Senate of Pakistan
She was President of the Women's Wing of the Pakistan Muslim League. Appointed a
member of the Central Working Committee in 1996. Imprisoned during
Tehrik-e-Nijat after anti-government protests.
She serves on the board of numerous educational and civic bodies.
Parachuting Controversy
In April 2007, Islamic clerics in Pakistan issued a
Fatwa urging that she be punished and fired from the government after some
newspapers printed photographs of her hugging and kissing a male colleague after
landing from a parachute jump in France. The clerics stated that this was "an
illegitimate and forbidden act, and that without any doubt, she has committed a
great sin, and that Muslim women must stay at home and must not venture out
uncovered.
Nilofar Bahktiar described the hug as a congratulatory pat, after her parachute
jump. "It was just a pat because he felt so proud of me, I did it for a good
cause. I did not have any practice of parajumping. I thought it was brave on my
part."
The Lal Masjid Sharia court decreed that Nelofar Bakhtiar had committed an
"un-Islamic act" by hugging her French male coach for which she must be removed
from the federal cabinet. The decree was issued at the request of "a resident of
Islamabad", who sought the Islamic court’s views on the issue.
On May 21 2007, Nilofar Bakhtiar announced her resignation as Tourism Minister,
over the parachute controversy. Pakistani Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz rejected
this resignation.
Nilofar Bakhtiar complained of a campaign of intimidation against her, and had
told a Senate Standing Committee that her life was under threat. Nilofar
Bakhtiar said she was disappointed by her Cabinet colleagues who had failed to
stand by her.
