Maleeha Lodhi

Maleeha Lodhi is a prominent Pakistani diplomat, political scientist, and journalist. She holds the distinction of being the first woman to serve as Pakistan's Permanent Representative to the United Nations.

Early life and education

Lodhi was born in Lahore on 15 November 1952 to an upper-middle-class family. Her father served as the chief executive of a British-based oil company and became the first Pakistani head of such a firm in Pakistan. While her mother held an MA in journalism, she chose to become a homemaker after being offered a scholarship to study in the United States. Lodhi has 2 siblings.

She received her initial schooling in Lahore and Rawalpindi before moving to the United Kingdom. In 1972, she entered the London School of Economics to study economics. She earned her BSc in Economics with a specialization in political science in 1976. After further research, she was awarded a PhD in political science in 1980.

Career

Following her doctorate, Lodhi taught at Quaid-i-Azam University in Islamabad during 1980. She returned to the London School of Economics to teach political sociology within the Department of Government until 1985. Upon returning to Pakistan in 1986, she entered the field of journalism. In 1987, she became the editor of The Muslim, which made her the first woman in Asia to edit a national newspaper.

Lodhi moved to become the founding editor of The News International in 1990. She held this role until 1993 when Benazir Bhutto appointed her as the envoy to the United States. She later rejoined The News International as chief editor from 1997 until 1999. Her diplomatic career in Washington continued under President Musharraf from 1999 until 2002, making her Pakistan's longest-serving Ambassador to the US.

In 2001, she joined the United Nations Secretary General's Advisory Board on Disarmament, where she served until 2005. President Musharraf appointed her as the High Commissioner to the United Kingdom at the Court of St James's in 2003. She remained in London until 2008. Between 2008 and 2010, she worked as a resident fellow at the Kennedy School of Harvard University.

In February 2015, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif appointed her as the Permanent Representative and Ambassador of Pakistan to the UN in New York City. She succeeded Masood Khan in this role. During her debut address on 6 February 2015, she advocated for addressing the underlying factors of terrorism. She also spoke at a United Nations event on 14 March 2015 regarding gender equality and education schemes in Pakistan.

Personal life

Lodhi was married to a banker in London. The couple divorced after 5 years of marriage. They have 1 son named Faisal.

Awards and recognition

In 1994, Time magazine named Lodhi as one of 100 people who would help shape the 21st century. She received the Hilal-i-Imtiaz for Public Service in 2002. The London School of Economics has granted her an honorary fellowship since 2004. Additionally, she received an honorary degree of Doctor of Letters from London Metropolitan University in 2005.

She is the author of several books, including Pakistan: The External Challenge and Pakistan's Encounter with Democracy. In 2010, she edited the volume titled Pakistan: Beyond the Crisis State. Lodhi remains a member of the Global Agenda Council of the World Economic Forum.