Pakistani-born Tafheen Sharif has made history as she became the first Asian Muslim British Pakistani woman to be appointed as Deputy Mayor of Tameside, England. Sharif hailed from Azad Kashmir. She has worked as a councilor of the Mossley ward in the past. Tafheen Sharif is a Labor Party member.
Tafheen Sharif, who has been involved in politics since she was a student, has been chosen deputy mayor of Tameside for the first time. After being elected as the deputy mayor she shared her thoughts about the issue of Kashmir. She stated that the Kashmir issue is a matter of human solidarity that requires a serious solution. The freshly elected deputy mayor went on to say that the problem of Kashmir could not be overlooked under any circumstances.
Tameside council took to Twitter and confirmed the appointment of Tafheen as the deputy mayor. Tameside council disclosed that the new Civic Mayor of Tameside, Cllr Mike Glover, and Deputy Mayor, Cllr Tafheen Sharif, accepted their duties at Tuesday’s full council. Furthermore, former mayor Margaret Sidebottom was made an honorary alderman. It is an honor awarded to Brian Wild, another ex-mayor, in March.
In England, several Muslims have recently attained significant political milestones. Worthing Borough in West Sussex named councilor Henna Chowdhury as the borough’s first female Muslim mayor earlier this month. In May, the City of Bolton appointed Cllr Akhtar Zaman as mayor, making him the first Muslim and Asian-American to hold the position. In May, the city council of Westminster named Hamza Taouzzale, a 22-year-old Muslim, as the city’s first Muslim lord mayor.