Washington: The United States has welcomed Maryam Nawaz’s election, the first woman Chief Minister, as a milestone in Pakistani politics.
Speaking at a news briefing in Washington, State Department Spokesperson Mathew Miller said the US looks forward to cooperate with Pakistan broadly on integrating women fully into the country’s political life, in the economy and other decision-making spaces.
Miller emphasised that an inclusive Pakistan will create a “strong, prosperous country” which would benefit all Pakistanis and “so we are always pleased when we see cracks in the glass ceiling anywhere in the world”.
Maryam, who has become the first woman chief minister in Pakistan’s history, won the elections after obtaining 220 votes in the Punjab Assembly last week.
Her opponent, Sunni Ittehad Council’s (SIC) candidate Rana Aftab Ahmad, did not get any votes as the party boycotted the elections after they were stopped from speaking.
