Islamabad, Mar 23: Dr Shahmah Khalid was sworn in as the first ever lady-governor of Gilgit-Baltistan here Tuesday.
 The swearing in ceremony was held at Aiwan-e-Sadr. It was attended by the chief judge of Supreme Appellate Court of Gilgit-Baltistan, besides President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani, Chief Minister of Gilgit-Baltistan Syed Mehdi Shah and federal ministers.
 Hailing from a far-flung village of district Astoor, Dr Shahmah was also a social activist who has been voluntarily engaged to provide healthcare and other facilities to the downtrodden people of Gilgit-Baltistan. She has been establishing free medical camps every year in the area and is associated with an NGO that works for protection of children.
 She has also been working for an UNHCR sponsored project for the welfare of Afghan women and children refugees.
 After graduating from the Khyber Medical College, Peshawar, in 1968, she served in the Ministry of Population Welfare for 20 years, till 1989. She has also been teaching in the Women Medical College, Abbotabad, from 2001 till 2003.
 Her father, Wazir Muhammad Ashraf Khan, belonging to Astore in Gilgit, was the first law graduate from the Aligarh University from the region in 1939. Dr Shahmah has three daughters, all of them working as civil judges in different parts of the country.

Lastupdate on : Tue, 23 Mar 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Tue, 23 Mar 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Wed, 24 Mar 2010 00:00:00 IST