Sherry Rehman

Sherbano Rehman was born on 21 December 1960 in Karachi[1][2] to Hassanally A. Rahman. Her mother served as first vice president of the State Bank of Pakistan.[3] Rehman attended the Karachi Grammar School receiving her A level from there, she moved to the United States where she studied at the Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts,[4] where she received her B.A.[5] in political science in 1985.[6] She moved to the United Kingdom, where she received an M.A. in art history from the University of Sussex.[2] She serves as the chairperson of the Jinnah Institute, a research organisation.[4][7][8]

Rehman started her professional career as a journalist with The Daily Star and then joined The Herald and became its editor-in-chief at the age of 26, serving until 1998.[2][4][8] After leaving the Herald in 1998, she co-authored the book The Kashmiri Shawl: From Jamawar to Paisley.[4] She worked as a professional journalist for 20 years[3][5] and served as a member of the Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors from 1988 to 1998.[2] Rehman hosted a television current affairs show in 1999.[3] She has also worked for the Pakistan Red Crescent Society as chairperson.[3][9]

She was elected to the National Assembly of Pakistan for the first time as a candidate for PPP on reserved seat for women in 2002 Pakistani general election[3][4] where she remained until 2007. During her tenure as Member of the National Assembly, she remained Central Information Secretary of PPP, President of Policy Planning for the PPP and remained a part of the party's Foreign Relations Committee.[2]

Rehman was re-elected to the National Assembly as a candidate for PPP on the reserved seat for women from Sindh in 2008 Pakistani general election.[2][4] During her second tenure as Member of the National Assembly, she authored severals legislations which were tabled in the National Assembly.[2]

In March 2008, she was inducted into the federal cabinet of Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani and was appointed as the Minister for Information and Broadcasting.[10] She was given the additional ministerial portfolio of Health in April 2008, Women Development and Culture in May 2008. She remained Minister for Culture until August 2008. In November 2008, she relinquished portfolios of Health and Women Development.[11]

Rehman resigned her post as Information Minister in March 2009 in protest over government attempt to put restrictions on the freedom of the press.[5][12][13]

In 2010, she tabled a bill seeking to abolish the death penalty for blasphemy, as a result she was placed under police surveillance after receiving death threats. Rehman was accused of committing "blasphemy, a crime that carries the death penalty" in Pakistan" in connection with a 2010 TV talk show."[3] Her accusers went to the Pakistan "Supreme Court with his complaint after police refused to register it. The court ordered police in the central Pakistani city of Multan to investigate."[5][14][15]

In November 2011, Rehman was named Pakistan's Ambassador to United States following the resignation of Hussain Haqqani,[4] who was asked to resign by Prime Minister Gilani in the wake of the "Memogate" scandal.[9][12][16][17] While ambassador, she called on the United States to stop its drone strikes in Pakistan.[18] She quit the office of Pakistan's ambassador in the US in May 2013.[19]

In June 2015, she was elected to the Senate of Pakistan for the first time as a candidate of PPP on general seat from Sindh and replaced Abdul Latif Ansari.[19][20]

In March 2018, she was elected as the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate and became the first female in Pakistan to hold the office.[1] She served as the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate till August 2018.[21]

In 2020, she created controversy when she clapped back at PTI Senator Mohsin Aziz for his comments, "Mera Jism Meri Marzi, MeToo and apna khana khud garam kero." She argued that parliament should not play the culture and religious card when talking about women’s rights.[22]

As of 2020, she was the chairperson on the Senate committee on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).[23]

In 2022 she spoke to international media about major floods.[24] During the 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, she pushed for an agreement on loss and damage, for the rich nations to compensate the poor countries for the damage they have caused, holding the Pakistani floods that year as a prime example of the damage being done by climate change. After an agreement was reached, she said that it "provides hope to vulnerable communities all over the world who are fighting for survival from climate stress, and gives some credibility to the COP process."[25]

• In 2002, she became first Pakistani to be recognised with an award for independent journalism by the UK House of Lords in its Muslim World Awards Ceremony.[26]
• In 2006, she received R.L Shep Ethnic Textiles Book Award, for The Kashmiri Shawl.[27]
• In January 2009, a report of the International Republican Institute referred to her as "Democracy's Hero" as a result of her struggle for the cause of democracy in Pakistan.[28] In the same month, Rehman was named among the "100 Most Influential Asians" by UAE magazine Ahlan.[2]
• In 2008, she was presented the International Peace Award for Democrats by the Human Rights Commission.[29]
• In 2008, she also won the International Human Rights Commission Award for her work for human rights and peace.[27]
• In 2009, she was given the title of "Democracy's Hero" by the International Republican Institute.[27]
• In 2009, she received 'The Freedom Award' Pakistan by the Association of Television Journalists.[30][31]
• In 2011, she received Jeane J. Kirkpatrick Award by The Women's Democracy Network, Washington[32]
• In 2012, she received Smith College Medal for her 'extraordinary achievements and outstanding service' to Pakistan.[33]
• In 2013, she received the Nishan-e-Imtiaz, Pakistan's highest civilian honor by the President of Pakistan Asif Ali Zardari.[34][35][36]

• 'Womansplaining in the context of Pakistani politics, activism', a discussion between author Sherry Rehman and moderator lawyer Sahar Bandial at a Lahore Literary Festival 2022, Ahsan Raza, Dawn March 21, 2022