Maleeha Lodhi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Maleeha Lodhi
مليحه لودھى HI
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Lodhi at the Pakistan-US talks in 2001
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| Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the United Nations | |
| In office 6 February 2015 – 30 October 2019 |
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| President | Mamnoon Hussain Arif Alvi |
| Prime Minister | Nawaz Sharif Shahid Khaqan Abbasi Nasirul Mulk (Caretaker) Imran Khan |
| Preceded by | Masood Khan |
| Succeeded by | Munir Akram |
| 17th Pakistan Ambassador to the United States | |
| In office 17 December 1999 – 4 August 2002 |
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| President | Pervez Musharraf Muhammad Rafiq Tarar |
| Preceded by | Riaz Khokhar |
| Succeeded by | Ashraf Qazi |
| In office 21 January 1994 – 30 January 1997 |
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| President | Farooq Leghari |
| Prime Minister | Nawaz Sharif |
| Preceded by | Syeda Abida Hussain |
| Succeeded by | Riaz Khokhar |
| High Commissioner of Pakistan to the United Kingdom | |
| In office 1 April 2003 – 14 June 2008 |
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| President | Pervez Musharraf |
| Prime Minister | Zafarullah Khan Jamali Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain Shaukat Aziz |
| Preceded by | Abdul Kader Jaffer |
| Succeeded by | Wajid Shamsul Hasan |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 15 November 1952 Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan |
| Nationality |  Pakistan |
| Alma mater | London School of Economics |
| Occupation | Diplomat, strategist, academician |
| Awards | Hilal-e-Imtiaz (2002) |
Maleeha Lodhi (Urdu: مليحه لودهى), born on November 15, 1952, is a famous Pakistani diplomat and political scientist. A diplomat is someone who represents their country in other nations. She was the first woman to be Pakistan's top representative at the United Nations.
Before this important role, she was Pakistan's ambassador to the United States twice. She also served as Pakistan's High Commissioner to the United Kingdom. A High Commissioner is like an ambassador, but for countries in the Commonwealth.
Maleeha Lodhi was born in Lahore, Pakistan. She studied political science at the London School of Economics. After getting her advanced degree in 1980, she taught there for a few years. In 1986, she returned to Pakistan. She became the editor of The Muslim newspaper. This made her the first woman in Asia to edit a national newspaper. Later, she helped start The News International newspaper.
In 1994, she became Pakistan's ambassador to the United States. She held this job until 1997. She was appointed to the same position again in 1999 and served until 2002. From 2003 to 2008, she was Pakistan's High Commissioner to the United Kingdom. In 2015, she became Pakistan's Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York City. She was the first woman from Pakistan to hold this position.
Maleeha Lodhi is known as one of Pakistan's most important diplomats. In 1994, Time magazine named her one of the 100 people who would help shape the 21st century. She has also received the Hilal-i-Imtiaz award for her public service. This is a high honor in Pakistan. She has written several books about Pakistan's politics and challenges.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Maleeha Lodhi grew up in Lahore, Punjab, in an upper-middle-class family. Her father was the head of a British oil company in Pakistan. Her mother had a degree in journalism but chose to stay home and raise her children. Maleeha has two siblings. She was married to a banker in London and has one son named Faisal. They later divorced.
She went to school in Lahore and Rawalpindi, Pakistan, and also in the United Kingdom. In 1972, she started studying economics at the London School of Economics. She earned her first degree in Economics in 1976. Then, she continued her studies and received her advanced degree in political science in 1980.
Career Highlights
Starting in Academia and Journalism
After finishing her studies, Maleeha Lodhi taught for a short time at Quaid-i-Azam University in Islamabad in 1980. She then returned to the London School of Economics. There, she taught courses about how politics and society are connected until 1985.
In 1986, she came back to Pakistan. She became the editor of the English newspaper The Muslim in 1987. This was a big step, as she was the first woman in Asia to edit a national daily newspaper. In 1990, she helped start The News International newspaper and became its founding editor. She stayed there until 1993.
Ambassador to the United States
Dr. Lodhi served as Pakistan's Ambassador to the United States two times. Her first term was from 1993 to 1996. Her second term was from 1999 to 2002. She became Pakistan's longest-serving ambassador to the U.S. during this time.
From 2001 to 2005, she was also a member of the UN Secretary General's Advisory Board on Disarmament Affairs. This board gives advice on how to reduce weapons around the world. She continued this role even when she became Pakistan's High Commissioner to the United Kingdom.
During her time as ambassador, she was known for being a strong voice for Pakistan. She worked to improve understanding between Pakistan and the U.S. She also played a role in important discussions, like those after the events of September 11, 2001. She explained Pakistan's position on global issues, including the fight against terrorism.
High Commissioner to the United Kingdom
On July 26, 2003, Maleeha Lodhi was appointed as Pakistan's High Commissioner to the Court of St James's in London. She served in this role for five years. She returned to Pakistan in 2008.
Ambassador to the United Nations
In February 2015, Maleeha Lodhi became Pakistan's Permanent Representative and Ambassador to the United Nations in New York City. She was the first woman from Pakistan to hold this important position.
In her first speech at the UN on February 6, 2015, she spoke about the need to understand why terrorism happens. She said this would help create a better plan to stop it. She also talked about how Pakistan is working to help girls get an education. She mentioned special programs in Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa provinces.
As the President of the executive board of UNICEF, Maleeha Lodhi worked to help children around the world. UNICEF is a UN agency that provides humanitarian and developmental aid to children worldwide. She emphasized that aid workers should be safe from attacks. She finished her year-long term as UNICEF President on January 9, 2016.
On March 10, 2016, she spoke about the United Nations Security Council. She said that Pakistan supports adding more non-permanent members to the Council. This would make it more fair and open.
In August 2015, Maleeha Lodhi rang the opening bell at the NASDAQ stock exchange in New York. This was a special event to mark Pakistan's Independence Day. She said that Pakistan's economy was growing. In April 2016, she invited actor Leonardo DiCaprio to visit Pakistan after meeting him at the UN.
In 2019, Maleeha Lodhi's term as Pakistan's Permanent Representative to the United Nations ended. She was replaced by Munir Akram.
Images for kids
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Lodhi at the Pakistan-US talks in 2001
