ISLAMABAD: National Assembly Speaker Dr Fehmida Mirza became the first female president of Pakistan when she took charge as acting president under Article 49(2) of the Constitution.
Under the article, she will hold the office until the return of either the president or the Senate chairman. The Senate chairman performs duties as acting president in the absence of the president. President Asif Ali Zardari and Senate Chairman Mohammadmian Soomro are both abroad. Pakistan has now obtained the distinction of being the first Muslim state with a female prime minister (Benazir Bhutto), female speaker of parliament, and a female acting head of state.