Introduction: The newly appointed Pakistani ambassador to the United States of America is one of the most famous liberal female politicians in the country. She is an eloquent woman who is well versed with journalism and policies of Pakistan. Moreover, she has always been extremely vocal about the unfairness of blasphemy laws and the perspective of women empowerment in Pakistan. She has also worked for eradicating the evils such as “honour killing” from the rural settings of Pakistan.

Biography: Sherry Rehman was born in Karachi in the year 1960 to a very prominent Sindhi family. Her father was a lawyer whereas her mother was the first female governor of the State Bank of Pakistan.

Sherry Rehman studied at the University of Essex and has worked as a journalist for over a period of 20 years. She was associated with one of the most prestigious news magazines in Pakistan, Herald and served as its Editor-in-Chief. She also hosted a current affair show in 1999, highlighting the problems and issues prevalent in Pakistan.

Political Career: Sherry Rehman, a lifelong member of Pakistan Peoples Party, was elected to the Pakistan’s parliament in the year 2002. Six years down the road, she was appointed national minister for information and broadcasting.

During her tenure in the parliament, Sherry Rehman highlighted core issues plaguing the progress of Pakistan. She raised question marks on various human rights’ policies and demanded to amend the same. Her role to empower women and create awareness about the predicaments faced by the female section of the society was highly appreciated on the international platform.

Rehman resigned as information minister in the year 2009 when she accused the government for delaying the process of establishing an independent judicial system in Pakistan. Moreover, on failing to convince the president to reinstate Geo television channel’s transmission she departed from the political sphere altogether.

Her political career officially ended when she provoked the anger of hardcore Islamists by outlining her ideologies regarding the blasphemy laws of the country. She submitted a private member’s bill in order to abolish the capital punishment over blasphemy which was instigated when a Christian woman was imprisoned for the same. For a very long time she was confined to her home and situation further deteriorated when former governor of Punjab, Salman Taseer and minorities minister Shahabaz Bhatti were both killed by militants for voicing their respective opinions over the issue.

Many people are of the opinion that her appointment as Pakistan’s ambassador to the US is another tactic to save her from the threats that hound her in the country, at the same time appointing someone who remains cordial and relatively less threatening to the military.