PAKISTAN'S "INFLUENTIAL WOMEN" NOMINEES

UNCLAS ISLAMABAD 000516 SIPDIS SIPDIS S/WE FOR SASHA MEHRA S/WE FOR GERDA LANE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KWMN PHUM PREL PK SUBJECT: PAKISTAN'S "INFLUENTIAL WOMEN" NOMINEES REF: SECSTATE 202341 ¶1. Embassy Islamabad nominates the following outstanding Pakistani female leaders for inclusion in the Women's Empowerment Strategy Session. The list includes women who represent the vast range of ethnicities, political affiliations, and vocations in Pakistan. --Ms. Sumaira Malik Federal Minister for Womens Development; Member of the National Assembly Address: 33 Ministers Enclave, Islamabad, Pakistan Telephone: 92-51-921-0461 --Dr. Shamshad Akhtar Governor of the State Bank of Pakistan; Former Fullbright Scholarship Recipient Address: State Bank of Pakistan, I-I Chundrigar Road, Karachi, Pakistan Telephone: 021-921-2447 --Ms. Asma Jehangir Chairperson, Human Rights Commission of Pakistan; prominent lawyer, and women's rights activist Address: 131-E/1 Gulberg III, Lahore, Pakistan Telephones: 92-42-576-3234, 92-42-571-0709, 92-300-842-0367 email: asmalaw@aghs.brain.net.pk --Ms. Sherry Rehman Member of the National Assembly; Information Secretary for the Pakistan Peoples Party; former journalist Address: House 21, Street 37, F-7/1, Islamabad, Pakistan Telephone: 92-51-265-0945, 0300-500-1420 fax: 92-51-922-4128 email: sherryrehman@hotmail.com, sherryrehman@gmail.com --Ms. Zubaida Jalal Federal Minister for Social Welfare and Special Education; Member of the National Assembly Address: 11 Ministers Enclave, Islamabad, Pakistan Telephone: 92-51-921-7997 Fax: 92-51-921-5700 ¶2. In light of the request to highlight charasmatic media personalities, Post also wishes to draw attention to an atypical candidate: Begum Nawazish Ali. Begum Nawazish Ali is actually the transvestite alter ego of Mr. Ali Salim. In the tradition of family-oriented cross-dressing entertainers, such as Milton Berle, Dana Carvey's "church Lady," and Barry Humphreys' "Dame Edna," Ali's character--the widow of a retired Army Colonel--hosts a bold and compelling talk show, "Late Night Show with Begum Nawazish Ali" on the popular "Aj TV" cable network. Begum Nawazish--who has been featured in "The New York Times" and in several other media outlets--has become a popular media figure who, during the course of interviews with prominent politicians and celebrities, manages to tackle hard-hitting women's issues, social taboos, and topics that ordinary women in Pakistan are unable to broach. Address: Ali Saleem, "Late Night Show with Begum Nawazish Ali", Aaj TV Studios, 531 Recorder House, Business Recorder Road, Karachi, Pakistan CROCKER