Salma Ataullahjan
Encyclopedia
Salma Ataullahjan (born April 29, 1952) is a Canadian Senator
.
Michaëlle Jean
, on the advice of Prime Minister
Stephen Harper
, on July 9, 2010, and will sit with the Conservative
caucus. With this appointment, Ataullahjan became the first Canadian senator of Pakistan
i Pushtun descent. She had been the Conservative Party's unsuccessful candidate in Mississauga—Brampton South
during the 2008 federal election
losing to Liberal
MP Navdeep Bains
.
Ataullahjan is an advocate for the South Asia
n community; she is the co-chair of the Canadian branch of The Citizens Foundation
, an international organization that since 1995 has built 660 schools for Pakistan’s poorest children and is an executive member of the Canadian Pashtun Cultural Association. She immigrated to Canada in 1980 from Pakistan
as a new bride. Prior to her appointment to the Senate she worked in the Toronto area as a realtor. She has a diploma in computer operations and is also an artist.
She founded the parents council at David Lewis Public School in Toronto
and has also served on the executive of the Pakistani Canadian Professionals and Academics and as president and vice-president of the Canadian Pushtun Cultural Association. She is also on the executive of the South Asian Regional Council and Citizens Foundation's Toronto chapter.
, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
. Her great grand uncle was Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan
, led a non-violent Khudai Khidmatgar
Muslim
movement for independence from the British
. Her father is Saranjam Khan, a former Pakistan senator
and until recently secretary-general of Nawaz Sharif
's Pakistan Muslim League (N)
party. As a schoolgirl, she was friends with Benazir Bhutto
.
Salma Ataullahjan's Artwork
Canadian Senate
The Senate of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the House of Commons, and the monarch . The Senate consists of 105 members appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister...
.
Career
She was named to the upper house by Governor GeneralGovernor General of Canada
The Governor General of Canada is the federal viceregal representative of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II...
Michaëlle Jean
Michaëlle Jean
Michaëlle Jean is a Canadian journalist and stateswoman who served as Governor General of Canada, the 27th since Canadian Confederation, from 2005 to 2010....
, on the advice of Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Canada
The Prime Minister of Canada is the primary minister of the Crown, chairman of the Cabinet, and thus head of government for Canada, charged with advising the Canadian monarch or viceroy on the exercise of the executive powers vested in them by the constitution...
Stephen Harper
Stephen Harper
Stephen Joseph Harper is the 22nd and current Prime Minister of Canada and leader of the Conservative Party. Harper became prime minister when his party formed a minority government after the 2006 federal election...
, on July 9, 2010, and will sit with the Conservative
Conservative Party of Canada
The Conservative Party of Canada , is a political party in Canada which was formed by the merger of the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada in 2003. It is positioned on the right of the Canadian political spectrum...
caucus. With this appointment, Ataullahjan became the first Canadian senator of Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
i Pushtun descent. She had been the Conservative Party's unsuccessful candidate in Mississauga—Brampton South
Mississauga—Brampton South
Mississauga—Brampton South is a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 2004....
during the 2008 federal election
Canadian federal election, 2008
The 2008 Canadian federal election was held on Tuesday, October 14, 2008 to elect members to the Canadian House of Commons of the 40th Canadian Parliament after the previous parliament had been dissolved by the Governor General on September 7, 2008...
losing to Liberal
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
MP Navdeep Bains
Navdeep Bains
Navdeep Singh Bains, PC is a Canadian politician from Ontario, Canada. He is the former Liberal Member of Parliament for the riding of Mississauga—Brampton South.-Early life:...
.
Ataullahjan is an advocate for the South Asia
South Asia
South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...
n community; she is the co-chair of the Canadian branch of The Citizens Foundation
The Citizens Foundation
The Citizens Foundation is one of the largest non-profit organization in Pakistan in the field of education. It was established in 1995, by a group of like-minded citizens in Karachi...
, an international organization that since 1995 has built 660 schools for Pakistan’s poorest children and is an executive member of the Canadian Pashtun Cultural Association. She immigrated to Canada in 1980 from Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
as a new bride. Prior to her appointment to the Senate she worked in the Toronto area as a realtor. She has a diploma in computer operations and is also an artist.
She founded the parents council at David Lewis Public School in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
and has also served on the executive of the Pakistani Canadian Professionals and Academics and as president and vice-president of the Canadian Pushtun Cultural Association. She is also on the executive of the South Asian Regional Council and Citizens Foundation's Toronto chapter.
Family
Ataullahjan was born in MardanMardan
Mardan , known as The city of hospitality, is a city and headquarters of Mardan District in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, Pakistan. It is the de facto headquarters of the Yousafzai tribe and the second most populous city in the province, located at 34°12'0N 72°1'60E and an altitude of in the south...
, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
. Her great grand uncle was Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan
Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan
Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan was an Afghan, Pashtun political and spiritual leader known for his non-violent opposition to British Rule in India...
, led a non-violent Khudai Khidmatgar
Khudai Khidmatgar
Khudai Khidmatgar literally translates as the servants of God, represented a non-violent freedom struggle against the British Empire by the Pashtuns of the North-West Frontier Province....
Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
movement for independence from the British
British Raj
British Raj was the British rule in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947; The term can also refer to the period of dominion...
. Her father is Saranjam Khan, a former Pakistan senator
Senate of Pakistan
The Senate of Pakistan is the upper house of the bicameral Parliament of Pakistan. Elections are held every three years for one half of the senate and each senator has a term of six years...
and until recently secretary-general of Nawaz Sharif
Nawaz Sharif
Mian Mohammad Nawaz Sharif is a Pakistani conservative politician and steel magnate who served as 12th Prime Minister of Pakistan in two non-consecutive terms from November 1990 to July 1993, and from February 1997 to October 12, 1999...
's Pakistan Muslim League (N)
Pakistan Muslim League (N)
The Pakistan Muslim League is a conservative political party in Pakistan, affiliated with Western conservatism...
party. As a schoolgirl, she was friends with Benazir Bhutto
Benazir Bhutto
Benazir Bhutto was a democratic socialist who served as the 11th Prime Minister of Pakistan in two non-consecutive terms from 1988 until 1990 and 1993 until 1996....
.
External links
Salma Ataullahjan's Artwork