Two Pakistani women win in Canadian poll

Two Pakistani women, Salma Zahid and Iqra Khalid representing the Liberal party, won seats in the Canadian elections 2015 held on Monday.

“Scarborough families tonight voted for real change,” Salma Zahid said as dozens gathered to celebrate her victory. “I will work hard to deliver the results they deserve.”

Salma has reclaimed Scarborough Centre for the Liberals by beating the Conservative incumbent Roxanne James who was elected in 2011.

A mother of two, Salma moved to Scarborough with her family 15 years ago and has since worked as a senior adviser to the Ontario government on health care, infrastructure, citizenship and tourism.

Another Pakistani-Canadian Iqra Khalid also won the election and succeeded in unseating Conservative incumbent Bob Dechert in Mississauga-Erin-Mills. The Liberal leader, Justin Trudeau, son of former Canadian prime minister Pierre Trudeau, led his party to victory in a federal election on Monday, defeating Stephen Harper’s Conservatives by a wide margin.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 21^st, 2015.