Reema Omer

Reema Omer is a Pakistani lawyer, human rights professional, and news analyst. She currently serves as a legal adviser for the International Commission of Jurists while contributing legal analysis to various media platforms.

Early life and education

Born in Lahore on 3 June 1986, Reema is one of two children. She attended Lahore Grammar School, where she completed her O' Level in 2002. In 2004, she achieved a world distinction in A' Level law.

She pursued higher education at the Lahore University of Management Sciences and earned a BA-LL.B in 2009. During this period, she received a gold medal for being the best student. After completing her degree in Pakistan, she moved to the UK to study at the University of Cambridge. She obtained an LLM specializing in Public International Law in 2010.

Career

Omer joined the International Commission of Jurists in 2011 as a South Asia consultant. From 2013 to 2018, she served as the ICJ's International Legal Advisor for Pakistan. She later held the position of Senior International Legal Advisor for South Asia from 2018 to 2025. At present, she leads ICJ work regarding the independence of lawyers and judges.

The Supreme Court of Pakistan and the High Court have appointed her as amicus curiae for important human rights and constitutional cases. She frequently provides political and legal analysis on news channels. On the Geo News show "Report Card," she discusses legal matters alongside analysts such as Mazhar Abbas and Hassan Nisar. She also co-created the YouTube show "Aurat Card" with Benazir Shah, Mehmal Sarfaraz, and Natasha Zai to provide a platform for women.

As an opinion writer, she contributes to newspapers including Dawn, The News, and The Friday Times. Her writing addresses topics such as social justice, gender disparity, and the rule of law. She has authored several briefing papers on human rights issues. These include reports on military justice in Pakistan, the implementation of blasphemy laws, and the criminalization of enforced disappearance in South Asia.

In 2019, Twitter sent her a notice regarding tweets that questioned military court procedures. While the notice suggested these posts violated the Constitution of Pakistan, then-Federal Minister Fawad Chaudhry denied that the government requested such correspondence. In 2020, she appeared before the National Assembly's standing committee on human rights to discuss sexual harassment against female journalists. During this session, Federal Minister Shireen Mazari condemned online harassment and promised to take action.

Personal life

Reema is married to Dr. Ali Jan. The couple has one daughter.

Awards and recognition

She was awarded the Commonwealth Pegasus scholarship in 2010. This allowed her to work in London within barristers' chambers on various human rights cases.