{{short description|Pakistani physician and politician (born 1970)}} {{pp-pc}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2022}} {{Infobox officeholder | honorific_prefix = | image = Firdous Ashiq Awan (cropped).jpg | office = [[Punjab Information and Culture Department|Special Assistant to the Chief Minister of Punjab on Information and Culture]] | term_start = 2 November 2020 | term_end = 6 August 2021 | 1blankname = Chief Minister | 1namedata = [[Usman Buzdar]] | predecessor = [[Fayyaz ul Hassan Chohan]]<br>''(as Provincial Minister)'' | successor = | office1 = [[Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (Pakistan)|Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting]]<br> ''(Minister of State)'' | prime_minister1 = [[Imran Khan]] | president1 = [[Arif Alvi]] | term_start1 = 18 April 2019 | term_end1 = 27 April 2020 | predecessor1 = [[Fawad Chaudhry]]<br> ''(as Federal Minister)'' | successor1 = [[Shibli Faraz]]<br> ''(as Federal Minister)''<br> [[Asim Saleem Bajwa]]<br> ''(as Special Assistant)'' | minister1 = [[Imran Khan]] | office2 = [[Ministry of National Health Services, Regulation and Coordination|Federal Minister for National Regulations and Services]] | president2 = [[Asif Ali Zardari]] | prime_minister2 = [[Raja Pervaiz Ashraf]]<br>[[Yusuf Raza Gillani]] | term_start2 = 18 April 2012 | term_end2 = 16 March 2013 | office3 = [[Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (Pakistan)|Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting]] | term_start3 = 9 February 2011 | term_end3 = 18 April 2012 | president3 = [[Asif Ali Zardari]] | prime_minister3 = [[Yusuf Raza Gilani]] | successor3 = [[Qamar Zaman Kaira]] in [[Ashraf ministry]] | office4 = [[Pakistan Bureau of Statistics|Federal Minister for Population Welfare]] | president4 = [[Asif Ali Zardari]] | prime_minister4 = [[Yusuf Raza Gillani]] | term_start4 = 2008 | term_end4 = 2010 | office5 = Member of the [[National Assembly of Pakistan]] | term_start5 = 17 March 2008 | term_end5 = 16 March 2013 | constituency5 = [[NA-72 (Sialkot-I)|NA-111 (Sialkot-II)]] | term_start6 = 16 November 2002 | term_end6 = 15 November 2007 | constituency6 = ''Reserved seat for women'' | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1970|1|11}} | birth_place = [[Sialkot]], [[Punjab, Pakistan]] | death_date = | constituency = | party = [[Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party|IPP]] (2023-present) | other_party = [[Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf|PTI]] (2017–2023)<br> [[Pakistan People’s Party|PPP]] (2008–2015)<br> [[Pakistan Muslim League (Q)|PML-Q]] (2002-2008) | education = [[Fatima Jinnah Medical University]] }} '''Firdous Ashiq Awan''' ([[Punjabi language|Punjabi]], {{langx|ur|{{URDU|فردوس عاشق اعوان}}}}, born 11 January 1970)<ref name="borned">{{cite web|url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/archive/print/404658|title=If elections are held on time…|website=www.thenews.com.pk|access-date=4 December 2017|archive-date=5 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171205143518/https://www.thenews.com.pk/archive/print/404658|url-status=dead}}</ref> is a Pakistani politician from [[Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party]]. She has served as [[Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (Pakistan)|Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting]] from 2019 to 2020, [[Ministry of National Health Services, Regulation and Coordination|Federal Minister for National Regulations and Services]] from 2012 to 2013, [[Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (Pakistan)|Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting]] from 2011 to 2012 and as [[Pakistan Bureau of Statistics|Federal Minister for Population Welfare]] from 2008 to 2010.<ref name="dawn.com">{{cite web|url= https://www.dawn.com/news/1476954 |title=PM Imran reshuffles cabinet less than one year into government|website=www.dawn.com|date=18 April 2019}}</ref> She served as the [[Punjab Information and Culture Department|Special Assistant to the Chief Minister of Punjab on Information and Culture]], in office from November 2020 to 6 August 2021.
==Family life and education== Awan was born on 11 January 1970 in [[Sialkot]], [[West Pakistan]] to an [[Awan (tribe)|Awan]] family.<ref name=borned /> She is married to businessman Malik Amjad Awan and is a mother of two children.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://pakistanistories.com/dr-firdous-ashiq-awan/|title=Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan|date=11 January 2018|access-date=23 April 2019|archive-date=26 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210526113409/https://pakistanistories.com/dr-firdous-ashiq-awan/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
Awan attended [[Fatima Jinnah Medical University]] for her medical degree, [[MBBS]].<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.dawn.com/news/1336332|title=PPP's Firdous Ashiq Awan joins PTI| publisher = Dawn| date=25 December 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url= https://tribune.com.pk/story/1424853/firdous-ashiq-awan-professional-doctor-seasoned-parliamentarian/|title=Firdous Ashiq Awan: professional doctor to seasoned parliamentarian | work = The Tribune|date=1 June 2017}}</ref> She started her career from [[Sir Ganga Ram Hospital (Pakistan)|Sir Ganga Ram Hospital]]. Awan took interest in social works and started Society for Health And Development Exchange (SHADE) in the early 1990s for public welfare.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://tribune.com.pk/story/1954029/1-cabinet-reshuffle-fresh-faces-focus/|title=Cabinet reshuffle: Fresh faces in focus | work = The Tribune|date=19 April 2019}}</ref>
== Political career == Awan started her political career in 1990 when she founded the Society for Health and Development and Exchange and advocated for improving the healthcare system.<ref>{{cite web| title=PM Imran reshuffles cabinet less than one year into government|first1=Amir|last1=Wasim|first2=Sanaullah|last2=Khan|year=2019|publisher=Dawn|access-date=8 June 2019|url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1476954}}</ref> In 2002 she was elected to the [[National Assembly of Pakistan|National Assembly]] on a reserved seat on [[Pakistan Muslim League (Q)|PML (Q)]] ticket.<ref>{{cite web| title=PM Imran reshuffles cabinet less than one year into government|first1=Amir|last1=Wasim|first2=Sanaullah|last2=Khan|year=2019|publisher=Dawn|access-date=8 June 2019|url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1476954|quote=In 2002, she was elected to NA-286 on a reserved seat for women.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title = Firdous Ashiq Awan | date = 23 July 2018 | publisher = Dawn | url = https://www.dawn.com/news/1413507 | access-date = 23 April 2019 }}</ref>
In 2008, she was again elected to the National Assembly from NA-111-Sialkot-II, having joined the [[Pakistan People's Party]].<ref>{{cite web | title = First time elected in 2002 | publisher = Pakistan Herald | url = http://pakistanherald.com/Profile/Dr-Firdous-Ashiq-Awan-462 | access-date = 11 August 2011 | archive-date = 7 March 2021 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210307020531/http://www.pakistanherald.com/Profile/Dr-Firdous-Ashiq-Awan-462 | url-status = dead }}</ref> She bagged 77,834 votes against her opponent Chaudhry Ameer Hussain from [[Pakistan Muslim League (Q)|PML (Q)]], 45,704 votes.<ref>{{cite web | title = NA-111-Sialkot-II results | publisher = Geo.TV | url = http://www.geo.tv/election2008/result/na111.html | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150924045035/http://www.geo.tv/election2008/result/na111.html | url-status = dead | archive-date = 24 September 2015 | access-date = 23 April 2019 }}</ref>
After being elected she was appointed as Minister for Population welfare in PPP's cabinet. Awan was later given the portfolio of Information ministry in PPP's regime. She presented her resignation to [[Prime Minister of Pakistan|Prime Minister]] [[Yousef Raza Gilani]] on 25 December 2011, during the Special Federal [[Cabinet of Pakistan|Cabinet]] Meeting. It was later declined by the Prime Minister after holding a one-to-one meeting with Awan.<ref name=resignation>{{cite news|url=http://tribune.com.pk/story/311744/firdous-ashiq-awan-submits-resignation/|title=Firdous throws in towel, takes it back, wipes tears|date=25 December 2011|author=Hafeez Tunio|publisher=The Express Tribune|access-date=24 April 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.dawn.com/news/683136|title=Firdous Ashiq Awan withdraws resignation|date=25 December 2011|publisher=The Dawn|access-date=23 April 2019}}</ref>
On 18 April 2012, [[Qamar Zaman Kaira]] was appointed as the new [[Minister of Information and Broadcasting|Federal Minister of Information and Broadcasting]], while former information minister Firdous Ashiq Awan was reassigned the Ministry of National Regulations and Services.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dawn.com/news/711518/cabinet-reshuffle-kaira-appointed-information-minister |title=Kaira replaces Awan as Information Minister - Pakistan |date=18 April 2012 |publisher=Dawn.Com |access-date=16 May 2014}}</ref>
She resigned from PPP's vice presidency in 2015,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/5948-firdous-ashiq-awan-resigns-as-ppp-punjab-vice-president |title=Firdous Ashiq Awan resigns as PPP Punjab vice president |publisher=thenews.com.pk |date=3 July 2015}}</ref> On 30 May 2017, she joined [[Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf]] in [[Nathia Gali]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://dunyanews.tv/en/Pakistan/388656-PPPs-Firdous-Ashiq-Awan-joins-PTI |title=PPP's Firdous Ashiq Awan joins PTI |publisher=dunyanews.tv |date=17 May 2017}}</ref>
In [[2018 Pakistani general election]] she lost her seat on [[Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf]]'s ticket in [[NA-72 (Sialkot-I)]] by obtaining 91,393 votes against [[Pakistan Muslim League (N)]]'s [[Armaghan Subhani]] who secured 129,041 votes.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.geo.tv/latest/204970 |title=Major setbacks in 2018 General Election |publisher=www.geo.tv |date=26 July 2018}}</ref>
She was appointed as special assistant to Prime Minister [[Imran Khan]] for Information and Broadcasting on 18 April 2019, after the cabinet reshuffle,<ref name="dawn.com"/> remaining in the office until 27 April 2020.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nayadaur.tv/amp/2020/04/former-dg-ispr-asim-bajwa-appointed-special-assistant-to-pm-firdous-ashiq-removed/|title = Former DG ISPR Asim Bajwa Appointed Special Assistant to PM, Firdous Ashiq Removed|date = 27 April 2020}}</ref>
On 2 November 2020 she was appointed as special assistant to [[Chief Minister of Punjab (Pakistan)|Chief Minister of Punjab]] [[Sardar Usman Buzdar|Usman Buzdar]] for Information.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.samaa.tv/news/pakistan/2020/11/firdous-ashiq-awan-stages-a-comeback-appointed-punjab-cms-aide/amp/|title = Firdous Ashiq Awan stages a comeback, appointed Punjab CM's aide – SAMAA| date=2 November 2020 }}</ref> She resigned from her post on 6 August 2021.
== References == {{Reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Awan, Firdous Ashiq}} [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:1970 births]] [[Category:Fatima Jinnah Medical University alumni]] [[Category:Pakistan People's Party MNAs]] [[Category:Pakistan Muslim League (Q) MNAs]] [[Category:21st-century Pakistani women politicians]] [[Category:Women members of the National Assembly of Pakistan]] [[Category:Women federal ministers of Pakistan]] [[Category:Pakistani MNAs 2002–2007]] [[Category:Pakistani MNAs 2008–2013]] [[Category:Imran Khan administration]] [[Category:Information ministers of Pakistan]] [[Category:Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party politicians]]