Kalsoom Nawaz Sharif

Kalsoom Nawaz Sharif كلثوم نواز شريف
First Lady of Pakistan
In office 5 June 2013 – present
Preceded by	Nusrat Pervaiz Asharaf
In office 17 February 1997 – 12 October 1999
Preceded by	Asif Ali Zardari (First Gentleman)
Succeeded by	Sehba Musharraf
In office 6 November 1990 – 18 July 1993
Preceded by	Asif Ali Zardari (First Gentleman)
Succeeded by	Asif Ali Zardari (First Gentleman)
President of the Pakistan Muslim League (N)
In office 12 October 1999 – 10 October 2002
Vice President	Tehmina Durrani Tehmina Daultana
Preceded by	Nawaz Sharif
Succeeded by	Shahbaz Sharif
Personal details
Born	Kalsoom Butt 1950 (age 65–66) Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan
Citizenship	Pakistan
Nationality	Pakistani
Political party	Pakistan Muslim League (N)
Spouse(s)	Nawaz Sharif
Relations	Sharif family Gama Pehelwan (grandfather)
Children	Maryam Nawaz Sharif Asma Hassan Hussain
Residence	Punjab House, Lahore
Alma mater	Islamia College and Christian College University (B.A.) Punjab University ( M.A. and PhD)
Occupation	Academic professor
Profession	politician
Cabinet	Nawaz Government
Religion	Islam

Kalsoom Nawaz Sharif (Urdu: كلثوم نواز شريف; born: 1950) is the wife of 12th Prime minister of Pakistan Nawaz Sharif,^[1] and is currently the First Lady of Pakistan for the third non-consecutive term. She is a granddaughter of Gama Pehelwan.^[2] Kalsoom remained the president of Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) between 1999 and 2002.

Early life and education

Kalsoom was born in Lahore in a Kashmiri family. Her father was Hafiz Butt. She is the granddaughter of Ghulam Muhammad who was also of Kashmiri origin.^[2] Kalsoom has two sisters and a brother.^[3] She is married to Nawaz Sharif, the Prime Minister of Pakistan.^[4]

Political career

Kalsoom is the First Lady of Pakistan for a third non-consecutive term; she remained at the post from 1990 to 1993 and 1997 to 1999.^[4][5][6] Kalsoom avoided involvement in national politics. During the years that her husband, Nawaz Sharif, twice became the prime minister or even led the opposition against the then arch-rival Benazir Bhutto, Kalsoom avoided getting involved in politics herself.^[7]

However, this was changed when Chief of Army Staff and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Pervez Musharraf led a military coup d'état against her husband on 12 October 1999. Kalsoom was arrested by female members of the Pakistan Army Corps of Military Police and immediately shifted to her local residence unlike her husband who was taken to Adiala Jail.^[7] According to her daughter, Maryam Nawaz, Kalsoom "dauntlessly challenged the usurper when a lot of men backed out".^[7] Sharif named Kalsoom as the president of Pakistan Muslim League in 1999, and she remained on post till 2002.^[7] For months before the exile of Nawaz Sharif to Saudi Arabia, Kalsoom built a momentum for political activity. It paid off in the form of putting an end to the agony of her husband in jail.^[7]

References

1. "Kalsoom Nawaz Sharif". Rediff.com. Retrieved 4 October 2014.
2. Abbas, Qamar (15 April 2013). "Shock for Sharif as sister-in-law prepares to stand for rival APML in former PM's seat". Daily Mail. DailyMail.co.uk. Retrieved 4 October 2014.
3. Hussain, Fida (26 May 2013). "Kalsoom, others move court for succession certificate". The Nation (Pakistan). Retrieved 4 October 2014.
4. "Kulsoom vows to return in a few days". The News International. 9 October 2007. Retrieved 4 October 2014.
5. "Michelle Obama hosts Begum Kalsoom Nawazs". Geo TV. 24 October 2013. Retrieved 4 October 2014.
6. "Michelle Obama hosts Kalsoom Nawaz". Saach TV. 24 October 2013. Retrieved 4 October 2014.
7. Taseer, Sherbano (30 March 2012). "The rebirth of Maryam Nawaz Sharif". The Nation (Pakistan). Retrieved 21 January 2013.