Pakistan elects first woman speaker

Legislators elected Pakistan’s first female speaker of parliament yesterday, seating a follower — and lookalike — of assassinated former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.

Fehmida Mirza’s elevation reflected the air of liberalism blowing through the country’s politics since voters delivered a resounding defeat to backers of President Pervez Musharraf.

However, many Pakistanis are warily watching the victorious parties, worried if politicians whose civilian governments in the 1990s were tainted by corruption and ineptitude will be able to deal with economic hardships and Islamic militants.