Pakistani-origin becomes first female Muslim Australia Senator

MELBOURNE:  Mehreen Faruqi, a Pakistani-origin woman became the first Muslim female Senator to be sworn-in to Australia’s Parliament.nnGreens senator Faruqi was sworn-in less than a week after crossbench senator Fraser Anning called for curbs to Muslim migration and a “final solution” on immigration policy, The Sydney Morning Herald reported.nn”I’m here to shake up the status quo,” the 55-year-old Faruqi told reporters in Canberra.nn”If Senator Anning wants to come and have a chat to me and learn a thing or two about the beauty and richness of multicultural Australia he can knock on my door,” Faruqi was quoted as saying by the report.nnFaruqi replaces veteran senator Lee Rhiannon in the upper house.nnFaruqi migrated to Australia from Pakistan in 1992, representing the Greens in the New South Wales upper house since 2013.nnFaruqi said her “sleeves are rolled up” and she is ready to work.nnShe described the Turnbull government as a “disaster” for the environment.nn”I’ve been challenging assumptions regarding racism, immigration and the value of multicultural Australia,” she said.nn”I will continue to stand up and call out racism, no matter who does it or where it comes from.nnSource: Press Trust of India