The ruling People’s National Congress (PNC) has rescinded disciplinary measures taken against Maafannu Central MP Asma Rasheed, reinstating her as the Chairperson of the Parliament’s Social Affairs Committee.
Asma was removed from the committee’s leadership on December 1 last year following internal disputes. The friction arose after she requested names of individuals who wished to pose questions during a meeting between President Mohamed Muizzu and the residents of Maafannu.
After five-months, Asma has been reinstated as committee Chairperson and has begun participating in official parliamentary delegations once again. The measures come amid a decline in Muizzu’s popularity.
Recently, a leaked audio recording featured Asma encouraging voters to withhold support for the PNC during the April elections. Her son, Mohamed Hussain Shareef (Mundhu), who was serving as the Maldivian Ambassador to the UAE, and her sister, Dr. Salma Rasheed, the Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva, were both removed from their posts following the audio leak.
However, in a recent shift, Mohamed Hussain Shareef has since been appointed as the government’s Chief Spokesperson and Salma has been reappointed to her position.
