THE President of Pakistan — or for that matter the head of state of any country — is regarded the first citizen of that particular country and his wife is known as the first lady.

But owing to ignorance or some other unknown factors, previously Kulsoom Nawaz was called by the print and electronic media the ‘first lady’ when Nawaz Sharif was the prime minister.

Now Bushra Bibi, wife of Prime Minister Imran Khan, is being called the first lady. This is wrong and a misnomer. Bushra Bibi is entitled to protocol as the wife of the prime minister and not as a first lady.

Recently none else but Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan was reported in the media as calling Bushra Bibi as the first lady. Her being so ignorant of protocol and warrants of precedence is quite regrettable.

Samina Alvi, wife of President Dr Arif Alvi, will remain the first lady of Pakistan as long her husband is the first citizen as president.

Muhammad Murtaza
Lahore

Published in Dawn, March 6th, 2020