Farooq Hassan
The term First Lady currently refers to not only the wife of the head honcho, but also to ladies of eminence who occupy top positions in their own right. This is the current gender zeitgeist.
In 1963, I completed a one-year scholarship as an American Field Service (AFS) student in Sacramento, California. At the end of the year all students (approx. 2500) assembled in Washington D.C. before exiting the USA. 40 students (20 boys + 20 girls) were invited to the White House to meet the President, John F. Kennedy (JFK) and the First Lady, Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy. JFK gave a resounding speech about youth leadership. Then Jackie said a few words. Her voice was silky and sultry. She wreaked style and sophistication. After coffee, each of us received a PT-109 tie clip. Later history tells us JFK was an out of control womanizer. He had serious back problems and the heavy doses of Cortisone administered to him, made him very active sexually. The kind of escapades that went on in the White House would make the Bill Clinton/Monica Lewinsky affair sound like a church picnic. In a summit meeting with Konrad Adenauer, the then Chancellor of West Germany, JFK openly stated: “If I am not active every night, I get a severe headache”. Jacqueline kept up the facade with silence and courage. She emerged as one of Americas great First Ladies.
Pakistan has had some good First Ladies – both in the government and the corporate sector. Ayub Khan was from the conservative era – the First Lady did not appear in public. Ayub Khan was caught out on his state visit to the UK and his episode with Christine Keeler. Thank God there was no Social Media then. Christine eventually brought down the Harold Macmillan Government on the revelations of the profuma affair. ZAB made sure that his First Lady (Begum Nusrat) was prominent and active (although he spied on her). Begum Bhutto tried to make sure that ZAB’s mercurial temper and ego were kept under control. Not with much success. ZAB’s various shenanigans were usually ignored.
The recently removed Prime Minister NS, chose his daughter Maryam Nawaz (MN) as the First Lady. She has morphed into a good public orator – notice the raised right hand and the middle finger. MN wears an ensemble worth at least Rs. 2 lacs, including the silk shawl. Her accessories cost another Rs. 1 million. She is a great representative of the poor awam! If things don’t work out for MN, she can always host a morning show on T.V. Nobody knows how many First Ladies represent Punjab –Khadim-e-Ala, SS, has never been upfront about the numbers. Perhaps the recent addition to the stable, the T.V. broadcaster, can enlighten us.
The PTI has also had a rapid change in First Ladies. The first, JK, hung around for many years. Eventually she realized that Banigala is no match for London and moved back. I am sure she does not miss the intrigue, the dust, mosquitoes and the flies. Her continuing loyalty to IK is commendable. The Second Lady of PTI, Ms RK, is writing a ‘Kiss & Tell’ book. PML-N has pledged to buy one lac copies. Not much is known about the current First Lady. I understand she is a “Spiritual Faith Healer”. I have an addiction to Cuban Cigars. Perhaps I can seek her help?
In the entertainment industry we have had some great First Ladies. The mercurial Noor Jehan. She had a vocabulary that would put a PMA Staff Sergeant to shame. The Diva of yesteryears, Babra Sharif (no relationship to NS) retired after a successful secondment to Dubai. I understand her pension is enough to wipe out the yearly losses of PIA. Currently the First Lady of the entertainment industry is Ms. Sultana Siddiqui. She has made ‘Hum’ into a well-known brand. She has breathed new life into the industry. Once she came for lunch with me at the club. The valet had problems parking her 30ft limousine. I keep requesting Sultana to introduce me to Mahira Khan. Sultana responds by saying I am too old for such gambits. More power to Sultana!
The Foreign Ministry has also benefited from some First Ladies. Our former Lady ambassador to USA – Abida Hussain is a case in point. She was very popular in Washington D.C. The only problem was that Abida was a chain smoker. She would claim diplomatic immunity and light up in “No Smoking” areas. The Vienna Convention protected her. I understand the Phillip Morris Company offered to make her a Brand Ambassador. I once implemented a very important Population Control project under Abida. She was a good boss. The First Lady foreign minister, Hina Rabbani Khar, also made a great contribution. Whenever she was conducting negotiations, the other team would usually concede. I recommend that Hina be made a permanent negotiator of the Foreign Office. She would do a better job than Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman. As the old argument goes: “One cannot defeat an argument coming out of a pretty mouth”.
The PPP has been without a First Lady for many years. In the integrum I was hoping Ayyan Ali would fill the bill. But she had to leave the country in a hurry. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari keeps the country guessing. He should cut down on Nan/Kebab, shed some weight and choose a bride. As Pakistan’s most eligible bachelor he has a wide choice.
I entered the corporate world in 1967 – ICI, the imperial company. The then Chairman was Yusuf Khan. Young, dynamic. The Chairman’s residence was an old iconic house in E.I. Lines. Eventually the house was torn down to make way for a modern edifice. Jamie Rahim succeeded him. The First Lady, Iran, was very cultured and caring of the ICI people. Jamie and Iran hosted great parties. The only problem was that Jamie was a teetotaler. Serious drinking was frowned upon. The next Chairman was Naseem Mirza. He was dashing and very well dressed. Much later I had a good natured argument with him on a yellow tie. His wife Zeeba was a good First Lady. When I occasionally see her at the club, she wears her years well.
In the Pakistan Air Force Air Marshal Asghar Khan and his wife were a great leadership couple. My father served for some years on secondment to the PAF. Actually, Mrs. Asghar Khan was the Brand Ambassador of PAF – everywhere she went she charmed and won hearts. Air Marshal Nur Khan was, of course, one of the great military and corporate leaders of Pakistan. I never met Mrs. N. Khan but I used to hear good things about her.
Today, in the corporate world, First Ladies abound, Sima Kamil is shaking things up at UBL. Musharraf Hai did a stint at Unilever as chairman. Now she leads L’Oreal, the beauty company. Ameena Syed leads Oxford University Press. Hopefully, in the years to come, we will see many more First Ladies.
(The writer is the Former Executive Director of the Management Association of Pakistan)
