In 1977, she lost her party's constituency nomination to Haider Bharwana.[14] In 1979, she was elected Mayor of Jhang, becoming the first woman to head a city government, and was re-elected in 1983.[16]
At the time of her launch of her autobiography, she later identified the issue of nuclear weapons was the principal source of distress between bilateral ties of Pakistan and the United States.[20] Hussain has written in her memoir that the "conversations and negotiations with the American functionaries and the American politicians were quite rough. Because they would make only one demand: "Roll back your [atomic] program". And, since I was quite clear that we cannot do that, our conversations were not friendly."[21][22] In talks with Sharif in Islamabad, Abida Hussain recommended cancelling of the acquisitions of the F-16s fighter jets and have funds refunded from the United States government, which Sharif was also of the same view point.[21]
Abida later levelled accusations on the American contractor, General Dynamics, of bribing her after making the suggestions as the contractor wanted Pakistan to continue funding the F-16 program for the Pakistan Air Force until the contract ended.[21] She also maintained that the chair of the board of directors of the General Dynamics, offered her to pay off her children's expensive education in Harvard and Yale, and also offered an estate in Washington, D.C.: she rejected the offers and confided her conversation Sharif in 1993.[21][23]
In an interview with The Telegraph in 2016 in India, Abida Hussain claimed that, U.S. Vice PresidentAl Gore mistook her twice as her deputy chief was the ambassador.[1] After the general elections held in 1993, Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto recalled her from her diplomatic assignment, and posted Dr. Maliha Lodhi, a career officer, as the Pakistan Ambassador to the United States.[24]
Minister of Food and Census in Sharif administration
After returning to Pakistan, Abida Hussain worked towards the agriculture, and sat in the opposition bench in the Parliament, and credited Sharif of agriculture revolution by introducing effective tube wells during the election campaign of Nawaz Sharif in 1997.[4]
After the military takeover of the federal government in 1999, Abida was imprisoned in Adiala Prison along with the leadership of the PML(N), and an inquiry was opened on her financial wealth that ultimately called her "a major defaulter.": contents [32]
Although, she was later released in 2002 with no inquiry actions taken against her.: contents [32] Abida Hussain later testified that the inquiries were drop due to her agreeing on a deal with the Musharraf administration to defect to the splinter faction under Shujaat Hussain, that would allow her to take participation in the general elections that were held in 2002.[33] Despite agreeing on a deal with Musharraf's administration, she was disqualified to take further participation in general elections held in 2002, mainly due to failure to submit the proof of baccalaureate degree.[33]
In 2002, Abida Hussain was disqualified from participating in the national politics by the Election Commission due to her lack of proof to submit the baccalaureate degree after the controversial new executive order signed by Musharraf.[34] The new order eventually forced her to attend the university for the college degree to ensure the survival of her political career.[34] In 2006, she conditionally agreed to join the Pakistan Peoples Party after disagreement arises with the PML(N) over the policy issues.[35][36] In 2007, she harboured doubts on Musharraf' promises on giving security to Benazir Bhutto and reportedly Bhutto to avoid attending the political rally in National Park in Rawalpindi, which Bhutto attended and was assassinated.[25][37] In 2008, Abida and her husband, Fakhar, reportedly lost the general election, and reportedly seek their retirement after Abida and Fakhar left the PPP in 2012.[33][38]
During the general election, in 2013, Abida Hussain supported the PML-N candidate in Jhang by-elections, and ran her daughter's successful campaign to be elected for the Provincial Assembly of the Punjab on the platform of the PML(N).[39] She reportedly quit the politics and currently overseeing the horse racing and breeding in her constituency.[1] In 2016, she spoke very high of Nawaz Sharif, whom she considered to be self-made man and leader in politics, and paid tribute to Sharif for the services his done for his country's environment and agriculture.[1][4]
Bibliography
Hussain, Syeda Abida (2015). Power Failure: The Political Odyssey of a Pakistani Woman (1st ed.). Karachi, Pakistan: Oxford University Press. p. 707. ISBN9780199401574.
^According to the launching ceremony of Abida Hussain's book in Delhi in 2016, the Telegraph India noted and quoted her age 68 in 2016. While, earlier, the political taboloid, The Nation reported her age 66 in 2014.
^ abcdeHussain-Imam, S. Abida. "Abida's Story". syedaabidahussain.com. Syed Abida Hussain bio (web). Archived from the original on 28 May 2018. Retrieved 28 May 2018.
^ abMcCarthy, Rory (12 July 2002). "The general's elections in Pakistan". The Guardian. The Guardian. Retrieved 29 May 2018. One senior Pakistan Muslim League leader, Abida Hussain, has reportedly just sat BA exams at a university in Multan to ensure she qualifies to stand in October's election.
