Jacinda Ardern, the prime minister of New Zealand, was praised as “the superwoman of New Zealand” by foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari.
Bilawal posted pictures of himself and PM Ardern on Twitter on Thursday. The two met while attending the 77th session of the UN General Assembly in New York, and these pictures were taken while they were there.
In a tweet, the minister referred to his meeting with PM Ardern as “the biggest fan moment,” noting that she is the second woman after his mother, Benazir Bhutto, to give birth while serving as prime minister.
Biggest fan moment of #UNGA . Was meeting @jacindaardern superwoman PM of New Zealand. After my mother the second head of government to give birth in office. She told me her daughter was born on the 21st of June, same as shaheed Benazir Bhutto! pic.twitter.com/jAazcSVrVY
— BilawalBhuttoZardari (@BBhuttoZardari) September 29, 2022
She reportedly also told him that her daughter was born on June 21 — the same day as Benazir Bhutto — which PM Jacinda also mentioned in her speech at Harvard University’s commencement on May 26 earlier this year. This information was also disclosed to Bilawal, according to Bilawal.
Benazir Bhutto was honoured when Prime Minister Ardern addressed the ceremony.
“In June 1989, the prime minister of Pakistan [Benazir Bhutto] stood on this spot and delivered the commencement address titled Democratic Nations Must Unite. She [Bhutto] spoke about her journey, the importance of citizenry, representative government, human rights, and democracy.”
PM Ardern said, “She [Bhutto] was also the first to give birth in office. And, the second and only other leader to have given birth in office almost 30 years later, was me”.
“My daughter, Neve Te Aroha (Light and Love) Ardern Gayford, was born on the 21st of June 2018, Benazir Bhutto’s birthday.”
Bhutto, the first and only female prime minister of Pakistan, spoke at the same event at Harvard in June 1989, 30 years ago.
When the two leaders visited a meeting attended by progressive parties from all over the world in Geneva in June 2007, PM Arden recounted the occasion when she first met Bhutto.
Pavan Manzoor is an experienced content writer , editor and social media handler along with a track record of youth-oriented activities in Pakistan and abroad. She was selected as a fully-funded delegate as a leadership fellow in Turkey. She also led a team of 5 volunteers at the week-long Young Professionals Fellowship in Maldives. She is also a member of the Youth Standing Committee on Higher Education.
