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  • Opposition walks out of Senate over exclusion of Benazir's name from govt Women's Day ad

    Former Prime Minister of Pakistan Benazir Bhutto and Senator Sherry Rehman File Photo Former Prime Minister of Pakistan Benazir Bhutto and Senator Sherry Rehman

    The opposition in Senate on Friday staged a walkout from the house against the government's exclusion of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto's name from the official Women's Day advertisement.

    The issue was raised by Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Senator Sherry Rehman who took to the floor of the house and said, "The world acknowledges the services of Benazir Bhutto. The government should apologise for not including her name in the official advertisement released to mark International Women's Day."

    "The government should make alterations to the advertisement by this evening," she added as members of the government also clapped on their desks in support of her statements.

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Senator Shibli Faraz seconded Rehman and said, "Pakistani nation values the services of Benazir Bhutto."

    "The advertisement should have mentioned Benazir Bhutto's name. We will look into how her name was not included," the PTI senator added.

    Benazir Bhutto was the first woman to head a democratic government in a Muslim majority nation.

    Following the walk-out, Rehman tweeted, "No government has ever stooped so low. Shame on PTI for omitting Pakistan’s pride."

    International Women's Day is observed across the world on March 8.