Former federal information minister and human rights campaigner Sherry Rehman has been appointed Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States within 12 hours of Husain Haqqani’s resignation.
Haqqani resigned on Tuesday, days after Pakistani-American businessman, Mansoor Ijaz accused him of being behind a memo that accused the Pakistani military of plotting a coup in May.
In your opinion, will Sherry Rehman’s political portfolio make her a credible Ambassador to the US?
How will her new appointment impact US-Pakistan relations?
Sherry Rehman’s previous resignation from the post as federal information minister in 2009 was reportedly due to differences of opinion with President Zardari on imposing restrictions on the media. Will those differences factor in her responsibilities as Pakistan’s envoy to the US?
Dawn.com invites its readers to give their views and suggestions.
Its arduous to obtain educated individuals during this matter, greater be understood as you no doubt know what youre dealing with! Thanks
What special reason behind Sherry Reman’s appointment as the ambassador to US who was condemned by the same Government in the past as the Information Minister of Pakistan and she had to submit her resignation from her previous capacity to continue as a dependable worker of the PPP, is beyond understanding of many people and some critics as well
The unfortunate NATO attack has made ambassador designate Ms. Sherry Rehman job 10 times more difficult. Pakistan’s civilian government response is a little overblown – a poisoned chalice from which Pakistan may end up drinking again if not today tomorrow. By no means this should herald the end of Pakistan-US relations. That will be a self hurting deconstruct.
I am happy on a fact that Government has apponited a parlimentarian for this task and have not looked for some retired beauracat or General.
She is a generalist, had experience in this cabinet, worked and sacrificed for restoration of democracy in the country, remained close to Benazir Bhutto, is enough qualification to represent country in usa. The time ahead is challenging especially when relations between Pakistan and USA is very low due to their recent unprovoked attack on one of Pakistan army post, which killed 24 soldiers.
I wish her good luck.
Javaid Iqbal
Milton Keynes
A woman is always a better DIPLOMAT since:
“When she says YES she means PERHAPS
and when she says PERHAPS she means NO”
Welcome Sherry. You are wanted and she is the best selection His Excellency President and PM made
While we are sad at the way it went with Hussain Haqqani we could not ask for a better representative and spokesperson for us in the US. I mean that both in terms of her qualifications and in terms of the rush and chaos which surround the decision making in our country at the best of time. She certainly has her work cut out for her. She will be severely tested in the months ahead. Let us not lose sight of the tensions and pressures of our previous Ambassador’s latter days in office. While we sit at our laptops and key in responses, she has real work ahead of her. A little grace will go a long way. She has until now always spoken despite the GOvet’s fashion flavour of the season. She is one of the few Pakistani leaders who did not come into this arena as a little girl or boy playing dress up. She is brave, she holds her ground and knows the risks.
well come back sherry Rehman its a excellent choice for Pakistani politics for change our extremism face to moderate ism in the world .Pakistan is not a Mulla state.There is a Sufi ism. and a tolerate all human beings. I hope sherry will represent Pakistan and a moderate and positive image of our nation.
Sherry, the great champion of democrecy, she is belong to highly educated family, She will certainly make a very good Ambassador. She has the brains, attitude, diplomacy, education, she is not from fedual or land lord are retired Gen. she can take steps. I have a reservation Mrs. Khar she failure as foreign minister, belong to land lord family, came from Q League and jamped to PPP now planning to go in Nawaz league her father / uncle or land lord useless politicians, where as Sherry very high education she will represent Pakistan with her intelligency and braveness. God Bless her
she can only do as good as the whole goverment. one person cannot change the course, it has to be a team of dedicated people, unfortunately we lack that very much at the moment. my best wishes to her.
ALLAH HAFIZ
great choice, well educated, stand for principals. I wish her all the best.
What else you can expect from this government except more and more disasters. There is NONE, unfortunately you can trust or has any national interest. All in current government are corrupted and have bad past. They need to go.
Sherry the name is not very impressive for a Foreign Minister Anyway, provided the lady is qualified, and highly qualified at that, specially for a place like USA where they are not very sympathetic to a person floundering for words while speaking. Mrs Rehman will have to be a very good speaker with clear thoughts and forthright answers to any kind of question put to her. She must be able to speak her mind clearly in a forthright manner. Wish her good luck.
If Mrs. Khar with no experience in foreign affairs & whose qualifications are anybody’s guess can become foreign minister, why not Mrs. Rehman ? It should not come as shock.I pity those career diplomats who were looking forward to a coveted position.
She will be the best person so far in Pakistan History to serve for this post. She can easily communicate Pakistan point of view to the USA in true sprite. Good Luck for her new assignment.
We hope more talented, specialist and honest person are appointed in federal cabinet and embassy outside Pakistan.
USA is the biggest economy of the world and large contributor of the aid therefore you need person like sherry to handle matter in transparent way, She can be ideal bridge to reduce the trust deficit between USA and Pakistan Political Government. There are so many pending aids undelivered to poor people of Pakistan that can be easily obtainable from USA through her genuine efforts.
I think the selection of Sherry Rehman is good one as it closed the rumours that civilian government is about to accept the nomination of military establishment which was reportedly asking to reappoint former ambassador general karamat.
besides, those who aforesaid about the appointment of career diplomat I would like to remind them career diplomats in Pakistan are products of bureaucracy which want to maintain statuesque .while in case of sherry the situation would be different as we have witnessed her bold stance against the blasphemy, government plan of media censorship and women rights.
Regarding her abilities to handle the pressure of her posts and future challenges, I m quite sure that this lady has the guts to handle it.
I for one fully endorse her appointment! More power to people like her !!!
More and more woman empowerment will save Pakistan, for sure.
Yes, Sherry Rehman will be A-OK.
well!this is not the matter of a good person for this most important post.this is the matter of appointing authority or the person who is giving the task.i agree that she is a good, honest and truthful lady.but her bosses are not trust able.we can not say either she will work with her on mind or according to her bosses. is short way the person which has been chosen is right but the purpose to chose sherry is wrong.
”a man is known by the company he keep”
She will certainly make a very good Ambassador. She has the brains, attitude, diplomacy, education, etc. Give her a chance before making any adverse comments. I am sure she will prove her worth with this formidable task.
With the success of Ms.Khar as foreign minisister it is only becoming that another personable woman is appointed as an Ambassodor to the most important country of the world.Ms.Rehman has presence and personality to match high atakes of politics & savvy standard in the diplomatic arena of Washington.Getting along with Hillary Clinton will be as good as mingling with the power of corridors of the highest magnitute i.e.none less than Barrak Obama.Hope and pray that Ms.Sheery Rehman will echo the positive side of Pakistan to impress upon US polititions and people alike that there is more good in Pakistan than all the bad rhetric being spit out against Pakistan, day in and day out at all levels of society in the USA.Good luck to Ms.Sherry Rehman…she going to need it.
I dont know that why the PPP govt z appointing the ladies for the out-door activities!
As some times ago they appointed Hina Kharr as foreign minister.
So far i know & according the previous political record of Sherry Rehman she does not deserve such a difficult task!
But . . .
Where the words fails, impressions really performs!
You better get over your bigotry and realise that women have far out performed men of Pakistan in every field. They work hard, have honesty and integrity and with education, can do any job better than men. Just look at the women’s cricket team. May be Pakistani men should start to learn to cook, clean the house and change children’s nappies.
There are very few achievements of Zardari/Gilani’s government. Majority of the decisions taken by this regime were disastrous for the country, however the decision to appoint Sherry Rehman as ambassador in USA is definitely a sound one and for the first time I congratulate the government for taking the right decision.
Sherry Rehman was the only minister in Gilani’s government who was a true liberal, honest, brave and courageous. She showed more courage then her bosses, Gilani and Zardari on human-rights, press freedom, women rights and religious intolerance. Her stand on the law of blasphemy, live burial of women in Baluchistan and her stand on press freedom which contributed towards her downfall is the proof of her honesty and courage.
She will serve Pakistan’s interest in the US establishment much better then most of the recent appointees in this job.
I wish her the best of luck for this appointment.
Sherry Rehman is a brave, mature and truthful lady. I hope she will propagate a softer image of Pakistan in the international fora. But still i think that a professional and experienced career diplomat should be appointed in USA.
As a professional diplomat can better handle the intricacies of pressure politics. Therefore, i am a bit skeptic of her chances of success.
Wish you best of Luck Sherry!