| Shehrbano Rehman | |
|---|---|
| 25th Pakistan Ambassador to the United States | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 23 November 2011 |
|
| President | Asif Ali Zardari |
| Prime Minister | Yousaf Raza Gillani |
| Preceded by | Husain Haqqani |
| Minister of Information and Broadcasting | |
| In office 31 March 2008 – 14 March 2009 |
|
| President | Asif Ali Zardari Pervez Musharraf |
| Prime Minister | Yousaf Raza Gillani |
| Preceded by | Kamar Zhaman Kaera |
| Succeeded by | Muhammad Nasir Khan |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Shehrbano Rahman 21 December 1960 Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan |
| Political party | Pakistan Peoples Party |
| Other political affiliations |
Pakistan People's Party Parliamentarians |
| Spouse(s) | Nadeem Hussain - 2nd husband [1] |
| Alma mater | Smith College University of Sussex |
| Occupation | Political journalist; Diplomat |
| Cabinet | Gillani Government |
| Religion | Islam |
Shehrbano "Sherry" Rehman (or Shahrbano Rahman, Urdu: شہر بانو رحمان; 21 December 1960), is a Pakistani politician, political journalist and diplomat.
Rehman was appointed the Pakistan's Ambassador to the US on November 2011 succeeding Husain Haqqani. Previously, she was the Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting from March 2008 until March 2009.
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Born in Karachi, to a prominent Sindhi family, Rehman's father, was a lawyer and educator. Her mother served as vice president of the State Bank of Pakistan—the first woman to hold the post.
She attended Smith College and the University of Sussex where she studied art history and political science.
Rehman worked as a professional journalist for twenty years, writing for national and international newspapers and news magazines. She was editor-in-chief of Pakistan's leading news magazine, The Herald, for ten years and served as a member of the Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE) from 1988 to 1998. She also anchored a television show on current affairs in 1999.
Rehman was the first Pakistani to be recognised with an award for independent journalism by the British House of Lords in its Muslim World Awards Ceremony 2002.
She is married to banker Nadeem Hussain, who is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Tameer Microfinance Bank. She was previously married to Ehsan Malik, who is currently the Chief Executive Office of Unilever Pakistan.
Rehman is a member of the Pakistan People's Party Parliamentarians (PPPP).
She served as an Member of the National Assembly (MNA) from 2002 to 2007, where she acted as Central Information Secretary. During this time, she was also President of Policy Planning for the PPPP and served on the party's Foreign Relations Committee.[2]
In March 2008, Rehman was re-appointed by declaration as MNA for Sindh province to the reserved MNA seat for women. Prime Minsiter Yusuf Gilani appointed her Minister for Information and Broadcasting, and on 31 March 2008 she was sworn in by President Pervez Musharraf.[3]
During her tenure in parliament, Rehman authored all five PPP bills tabled in the National Assembly: the Women Empowerment Bill, Anti-Honor Killings Bill, Domestic Violence Prevention Bill, Affirmative Action Bill and Hudood Repeal Bill. She also moved two bills concerning the media: the Freedom of Information Bill and the Press Act, which prevents working journalists from being arrested under the 1999 Press Ordinance.[4]
In civil society, Rehman is the Chair of the Lady Dufferin Foundation Trust, reportedly the largest non-profit provider of women and children's subsidised healthcare in the province of Sindh.[5]
In January 2009, a report of the International Republican Institute referred to her as "Democracy's Hero" as a result of her close association with former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto's campaign for democratic rule in Pakistan.[6] The reference, picked up by several Pakistani media outlets, received mixed coverage.[7][8] In the same month, Rehman was named among the "100 Most Influential Asians" by UAE magazine Ahlan.[9]
Rehman resigned her post as Information Minister on 14 March 2009, due to differences of opinion with the President Asif Ali Zardari on imposing restrictions on the media.[10][11]
On 23 November, she was named Pakistan's ambassador to United States following the resignation of Hussain Haqqani, who was asked to resign by Prime Minister Gilani in the wake of the "Memogate" scandal.[12][13].
Rehman's latest book The Kashmiri Shawl: From Jamawar to Paisley, co-authored with Naheed Jafri, was published in 2006 by Mapin Publishing India and Antique Collectors Club UK. The book was selected for The R.L Shep Ethnic Textiles Book Award for 2006[14] in the US.
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Qamar Zaman Kaira |
Minister of Information and Broadcasting 2008–2009 |
Succeeded by Muhammad Nasir Khan |
| Diplomatic posts | ||
| Preceded by Husain Haqqani |
Pakistan Ambassador to the United States 2011–present |
Incumbent |