Syeda Shehla Raza Zaidi (Urdu: سیدہ شہلا رضا زیدی) (born 15 May 1964 in Karachi, Pakistan[3]) is a Pakistan People's Party politician and Member of National Assembly of Pakistan from the Sindh province. In 2008, she was unanimously elected deputy speaker in the Thirteenth Assembly of the Sindh Assembly,[4] and re-elected in 2013 for that position in the Fourteenth Assembly.[5][6]

Syeda Shehla Raza Zaidi
Provincial Minister of Sindh for Women Development
In office
20 August 2018 – 11 August 2023
Chief MinisterSyed Murad Ali Shah
Deputy Speaker of the Provincial Assembly of Sindh
In office
30 May 2013 – 28 May 2018
SpeakerAgha Siraj Durrani
Preceded byHerself
In office
7 April 2008 – 19 March 2013
SpeakerNisar Khuhro
Succeeded byHerself
Acting Governor of Sindh[1]
In office
9 November 2016 – 11 November 2016
Preceded byIshratul Ibad
Succeeded bySaeeduzzaman Siddiqui
Member of the Provincial Assembjly of Sindh
In office
13 August 2018 – 11 August 2023
ConstituencyReserved seat for women
In office
29 May 2013 – 28 May 2018
ConstituencyReserved seat for women
In office
5 April 2008 – 20 March 2013
ConstituencyReserved seat for women
Member National Assembly of Pakistan
Assumed office
March 2024
President Pakistan Hockey Federation
Assumed office
March 2024[2]
Personal details
Born (1964-01-08) 8 January 1964 (age 60)
Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan
Political partyPPP
SpouseGhulam Qadir
Children2 (both deceased)
OccupationPolitician

Early education

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Raza completed her undergraduate and graduate education at the University of Karachi, receiving her Master's degree in Physiology in 1991.[7]

Political career

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Her political career began while she was attending university. In 1986, she joined the People's Students Federation, a student wing of the Pakistan People's Party, when political activities were banned.[4] Her activism began during this period of military rule. Three years later, Raza was elected as the Joint Secretary of the People's Student Federation.

In 1990, after the right-wing conservative alliance, the Islamic Democratic Alliance (IDA), formed a government, she was arrested and incarcerated for almost a month for her political activities, based upon allegations of a double murder and possession of illegal arms.[6][7] The charges were later dropped.[7]

Politically she was a protege of Benazir Bhutto, who picked her for the party's "reserved women's seat" in the Sindh Assembly for the 2009 elections.[7]

Personal life

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In 1991, she married Ghulam Qadir, a former politician and then a general manager for Shahzeb Pharmaceutical Company.[4] Her first child, a daughter, was born in 1992; in 1994 she had a son. Both of them were killed in a traffic accident in 2005.[8][9]

References

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  1. ^ "The News International: Latest News Breaking, Pakistan News".
  2. ^ https://www.google.com/search?q=shehla+raza+elected+pakistan+hockey+federation&oq=sheh&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUqCAgAEEUYJxg7MggIABBFGCcYOzIOCAEQRRgnGDsYgAQYigUyBggCEEUYPDIGCAMQRRg8MgYIBBBFGDsyDQgFEAAYkQIYgAQYigUyDAgGEC4YQxiABBiKBTIMCAcQLhhDGIAEGIoFMg0ICBAuGIMBGLEDGIAEMgwICRAuGEMYgAQYigXSAQgyOTAyajBqNKgCALACAA&client=ms-android-huawei-rev1&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8 [bare URL]
  3. ^ Syeda Shehla Raza. "Famous Pakistani Women". 28 April 2011.
  4. ^ a b c "Member Profile: Mrs. Syeda Shehla Raza, PSW-138". Provincial Assembly of Sindh. 2008. Archived from the original on 26 August 2011.
  5. ^ "Member Profile: Syeda Shehla Raza, RSW-131". Provincial Assembly of Sindh. 2013. Archived from the original on 17 January 2015.
  6. ^ a b Qazi, Asif (7 April 2008). "Profile of Shehla Raza". Daily Times. Lahore, Pakistan. Archived from the original on 10 September 2015.
  7. ^ a b c d "Ms. Syeda Shehla Raza(Deputy Speaker-Sindh Assembly)". Kalpoint. 2008. Archived from the original on 14 September 2008.
  8. ^ "SHC seeks report from CDGK on children's killing". Daily Times. Lahore, Pakistan. 12 September 2006. Archived from the original on 10 September 2015.
  9. ^ Abro, Razzak (8 November 2008). "Shehla takes oath as acting governor". Daily Times. Lahore, Pakistan. Archived from the original on 10 September 2015.