Kashmiri woman elected PoK assembly deputy speaker

Separatists are celebrating the election of a Kashmiri “migrant” woman to the deputy speaker’s post in the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) assembly.

Mehr-un-Nisa, wife of Mohd  Naseem, had “migrated” in the early ’90s to join her husband who had crossed over at the height of militancy. Naseem of Lar Ganderbal is leader of the Pakistan chapter of the People’s Conference (PC) led by Bilal Gani Lone, a member of the executive committee of the moderate Hurriyat.

Nisa had left Kashmir on a valid passport but did not return. She joined politics in PoK and became MLA in 2006. On Thursday, she was elected deputy speaker of the PoK assembly.

“Naseem is our representative in Pakistan. We are happy,” PC (Lone) general secretary Mohammad Khalil said. “It is a matter of pride that a migrant Kashmiri has achieved this,” moderate Hurriyat leader Syed Salim Geelani said.