Firdous Ashiq Awan

Firdous Ashiq Awan (Punjabi, Urdu: فردوس عاشق اعوان, born 11 January 1970)[1] is a Pakistani politician from Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party. She has served as Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting from 2019 to 2020, Federal Minister for National Regulations and Services from 2012 to 2013, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting from 2011 to 2012 and as Federal Minister for Population Welfare from 2008 to 2010.[2] She served as the Special Assistant to the Chief Minister of Punjab on Information and Culture, in office from November 2020 to 6 August 2021.

Firdous Ashiq Awan
Special Assistant to the Chief Minister of Punjab on Information and Culture
In office
2 November 2020 – 6 August 2021
Chief MinisterUsman Buzdar
Preceded byFayyaz ul Hassan Chohan
(as Provincial Minister)
Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting
(Minister of State)
In office
18 April 2019 – 27 April 2020
PresidentArif Alvi
Prime MinisterImran Khan
MinisterImran Khan
Preceded byFawad Ahmed Chaudhry
(as Federal Minister)
Succeeded byShibli Faraz
(as Federal Minister)
Asim Saleem Bajwa
(as Special Assistant)
Federal Minister for National Regulations and Services
In office
18 April 2012 – 16 March 2013
PresidentAsif Ali Zardari
Prime MinisterRaja Pervez Ashraf
Yousaf Raza Gillani
Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting
In office
9 February 2011 – 18 April 2012
PresidentAsif Ali Zardari
Prime MinisterYousaf Raza Gilani
Succeeded byQamar Zaman Kaira in Ashraf ministry
Federal Minister for Population Welfare
In office
2008–2010
PresidentAsif Ali Zardari
Prime MinisterYousuf Raza Gillani
Member of the National Assembly of Pakistan
In office
17 March 2008 – 16 March 2013
ConstituencyNA-111 (Sialkot-II)
In office
16 November 2002 – 15 November 2007
ConstituencyReserved seat for women
Personal details
Born (1970-01-11) 11 January 1970
Sialkot, Punjab, Pakistan
Political partyIstehkam-e-Pakistan Party (2023-present)
Other political
affiliations		Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (2017–2023)
Pakistan Peoples Party (2008–2015)
Pakistan Muslim League (Q) (2002-2008)
EducationFatima Jinnah Medical University

Family life and education

Awan was born on 11 January 1970 in Sialkot, West Pakistan.[1] She is married to businessman Malik Amjad Awan and is a mother of two children.[3]

Awan attended Fatima Jinnah Medical University for her medical degree, MBBS.[4][5] She started her career from Sir Ganga Ram Hospital. Awan took interest in social works and started Society for Health And Development Exchange (SHADE) in the early 1990s for public welfare.[6]

Political career

Awan started her political career in 1990 when she founded the Society for Health and Development and Exchange and advocated for improving the healthcare system.[7] In 2002 she was elected to the National Assembly on a reserved seat on PML (Q) ticket.[8][9]

In 2008, she was again elected to the National Assembly from NA-111-Sialkot-II, having joined the Pakistan People's Party.[10] She bagged 77,834 votes against her opponent Chaudhry Ameer Hussain from PML (Q), 45,704 votes.[11]

After being elected she was appointed as Minister for Population welfare in PPP's cabinet. Awan was later given the portfolio of Information ministry in PPP's regime. She presented her resignation to Prime Minister Yousef Raza Gilani on 25 December 2011, during the Special Federal Cabinet Meeting. It was later declined by the Prime Minister after holding a one-to-one meeting with Awan.[12][13]

On 18 April 2012, Qamar Zaman Kaira was appointed as the new Federal Minister of Information and Broadcasting, while former information minister Firdous Ashiq Awan was reassigned the Ministry of National Regulations and Services.[14]

She resigned from PPP's vice presidency in 2015,[15] On 30 May 2017, she joined Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf in Nathia Gali.[16]

In 2018 Pakistani general election she lost her seat on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's ticket in NA-72 (Sialkot-I) by obtaining 91,393 votes against Pakistan Muslim League (N)'s Armaghan Subhani who secured 129,041 votes.[17]

She was appointed as special assistant to Prime Minister Imran Khan for Information and Broadcasting on 18 April 2019, after the cabinet reshuffle,[2] remaining in the office until 27 April 2020.[18]

On 2 November 2020 she was appointed as special assistant to Chief Minister of Punjab Usman Buzdar for Information.[19] She resigned from her post on 6 August 2021.

References
  1. "If elections are held on time…". www.thenews.com.pk. Archived from the original on 5 December 2017. Retrieved 4 December 2017.
  2. "PM Imran reshuffles cabinet less than one year into government". www.dawn.com. 18 April 2019.
  3. "Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan". 11 January 2018. Archived from the original on 26 May 2021. Retrieved 23 April 2019.
  4. "PPP's Firdous Ashiq Awan joins PTI". Dawn. 25 December 2011.
  5. "Firdous Ashiq Awan: professional doctor to seasoned parliamentarian". The Tribune. 1 June 2017.
  6. "Cabinet reshuffle: Fresh faces in focus". The Tribune. 19 April 2019.
  7. Wasim, Amir; Khan, Sanaullah (2019). "PM Imran reshuffles cabinet less than one year into government". Dawn. Retrieved 8 June 2019.
  8. Wasim, Amir; Khan, Sanaullah (2019). "PM Imran reshuffles cabinet less than one year into government". Dawn. Retrieved 8 June 2019. In 2002, she was elected to NA-286 on a reserved seat for women.
  9. "Firdous Ashiq Awan". Dawn. 23 July 2018. Retrieved 23 April 2019.
  10. "First time elected in 2002". Pakistan Herald. Archived from the original on 7 March 2021. Retrieved 11 August 2011.
  11. "NA-111-Sialkot-II results". Geo.TV. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 23 April 2019.
  12. Hafeez Tunio (25 December 2011). "Firdous throws in towel, takes it back, wipes tears". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 24 April 2013.
  13. "Firdous Ashiq Awan withdraws resignation". The Dawn. 25 December 2011. Retrieved 23 April 2019.
  14. "Kaira replaces Awan as Information Minister - Pakistan". Dawn.Com. 18 April 2012. Retrieved 16 May 2014.
  15. "Firdous Ashiq Awan resigns as PPP Punjab vice president". thenews.com.pk. 3 July 2015.
  16. "PPP's Firdous Ashiq Awan joins PTI". dunyanews.tv. 17 May 2017.
  17. "Major setbacks in 2018 General Election". www.geo.tv. 26 July 2018.
  18. "Former DG ISPR Asim Bajwa Appointed Special Assistant to PM, Firdous Ashiq Removed". 27 April 2020.
  19. "Firdous Ashiq Awan stages a comeback, appointed Punjab CM's aide – SAMAA". 2 November 2020.
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