Dr Maleeha Lodhi has been appointed High Commissioner to the UK. She has had a distinguished career as journalist, academic and diplomat. In March this year Dr Maleeha Lodhi was conferred the Hilal-i-Imtiaz by the President for setting the “highest standards of professional excellence” in diplomacy and for her contributions as an eminent journalist and academician. She has twice served in the United States as Pakistan’s ambassador – 1994-1997 and more recently from 1999-2002. Dr Lodhi was editor of The News from 1997 to 1999 and from 1990 to 1993. She also edited The Muslim from 1987 to 1990. Her academic career included teaching at the London School of Economics from 1980 to 1985. She also lectured at Quaid-e-Azam University in 1977-1978. Dr Lodhi obtained her PhD from the London School of Economics in 1980 and her BSc (Econ) in 1976 also from the London School of Economics. She is the author of two books: Pakistan’s Encounter with Democracy (Lahore, Vanguard, 1994) and the External Challenge (Lahore: Jang Publications, 1994). In 1994 Time magazine chose her as one of a hundred people - the only one from Pakistan - who, it said, will help to define the 21st century.
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Zakk: *
Very Much so, a combination of luck and skill has probably made her one of Pakistan's most accomplished Diplomats
[/QUOTE]
I was always under the impression that she was a really capable lady, but for some reason, none of the Pakistanis living in the USA that i met liked her one bit.
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Spock: *
I was always under the impression that she was a really capable lady, but for some reason, none of the Pakistanis living in the USA that i met liked her one bit.
[/QUOTE]
yara, that is true. The last time I was lobbying in DC, she was the ambassador appointed by BB. I think she rubbed more than a few people the wrong way because she is rather intellectual (elitist?). I personally never met her because in those days, I was a lowly new recruit that had to lobby a certain rep. from Ct :D
It is great that a Pakistani women gets the chance to show the world that women in Pakistan can be appointed to such high positions. Although, I would agree with some other posts that her record here in the USA was not very good. After 9/11 she did a good job portraying the positive side of Pakistan and Islam, but when Paklistani's were being rounded up and getting deported, she never came on CNN and other media outlets to convey how the Pakistani community felt about such actions. I know it would have been hard, but that is what an ambassador should do. Help protect the citizens of their country in a foreign land. I think she is too soft and should be the ambassador for some country like Sweden or Japan. Countries like USA, UK, etc where there are large Pakistani's living require a different sort of person.
She does not have a very good reputation in the Pakistani American comunity, nor does she have a good rep, in Islamabad for various reasons. But, she's twice played a role in lobbying and presenting a good face of Pakistan to the world. Not many Diplomats have that record. I don't think anyone would disagree that she's a lot better than Syed Abida Hussein?
Do you know why that is? I havent been able to determine why Pakistanis living in the US like her.
I am not sure Spock, RF c'mon speak up, you are the resident US-Pakistan community expert here ;) , but I think it doesn't just apply to Lodhi, although her PPP links, her lifestyle and the scandal regarding her brother might have something to do with it. Another example is Former Pakistani High Commissioner to the UK, Akbar Ahmed is well known as an intellectual and is probably one of the most quoted Pakistani's in USA broadsheets when it comes to Muslim issues, yet his reputation in Pakistan and the Pakistani community is a very very controversial (one writer called him as straight as a jalebi!).
Anyway It will be interesting to see how she handles the British Pakistani community.
I've heard about these alleged scandals but it's more important that she's good at her job and she left a pretty good impression as a diplomat to the USA. I can't really pass a judgement without seeing her in action though, maybe I'll get a chance now she's over here.
Zakk, bro, you are indeed an astute political observer.
Maleeha Lodhi’s brother is implicated in various money laundering and kickback schemes along with Asif Zardari. Her parties, although being funded by government of Pakistan, were extravagent personal affairs, while the government of Pakistan appointed, US lobbyist went unpaid. And lets not talk about a certain ‘cruise’ on the Potomac where the open bar policy was fully utilized. She along marginalized just about every US based Pakistani and Pakistani -American organization by keeping them out of the loop…no community meetings, no forums on Pak-American issues.
Lodhi’s group of advisors and yes-men specifically came from Lahore and they had ‘Lahori connections’ back from her earlydays. The head of ‘Community affairs’ was a good friend of my mothers…nice lady but I doubt she went beyond Matric in Pakistan
Zakk yara, you caught me…She gave more than enough reasons to be ghated. Below is a letter written and signed by many prominent Pakistani-American organizations. I can personally vouch for more than a few names that signed the letter.
Letter to The Washington Times Editors
The Case Against Maleeha Lodhi
November 17, 1999
The Editors, The Washington Times
Mr. James Morrison, Columnist, Embassy Row
3600 New York Avenue, N.E.
Washington, D.C. 20002
The remarks made about our organizations by Lanny J. Davis and other lobbyists/associates of Maleeha Lodhi in the Embassy Row column of November 12 are unethical, exaggerated and untrue.
Our opposition to the recent appointment of Ms. Lodhi as Pakistan military regime’s Ambassador to the U.S. is based on the following reasonable concerns:
(1) Maleeha Lodhi is backed by Maulana Fazlur Rehman and his extremist Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI), an anti-American political party based in Pakistan. In its front page news story of November 10, the Urdu Times, North America’s weekly newspaper published in New York, has reported that “the head of JUI Maulana Fazlur Rehman and JUI have expressed their full support for Maleeha Lodhi.” In its news report filed from Lahore, the Urdu Times has also reported that “JUI leaders support Maleeha Lodhi’s appointment as Pakistan’s Ambassador to the U.S. because, according to the JUI leaders, Maleeha Lodhi believes in the ideology of the Left and therefore she would never support America in any situation.”
Maleeha Lodhi’s extremist supporters in the JUI advocate terrorism and violence against the American nation. They have declared a war against all Americans and publicly threatened to murder American citizens, U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan, U.S. diplomats and U.S. government officials.
Here are excerpts from the Reuters news story of August 3, 1999, headlined “U.S. Protests Against ‘Death’ Threats In Pakistan,” datelined Islamabad and written by Andrew Hill in which Reuters has quoted JUI leader and Maleeha Lodhi’s backer Maulana Fazlur Rehman:
The United States Tuesday protested to a Pakistani Islamic leader who threatened a “war against Americans” if Washington launched another attack on the suspected Afghan hideouts of terrorism suspect Osama bin Laden.
The protest was made in a 90-minute meeting between a U.S. embassy officer and Maulana Fazlur Rehman, leader of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam party, which has staged a series of anti-American rallies amid speculation of a fresh U.S. bin Laden strike.
“The purpose of this meeting was to express concern over threats by Maulana Fazlur Rehman and party members,” a U.S. embassy spokesman told Reuters.
But an unrepentant Rehman told Reuters Television that if Afghanistan were attacked, American interests would be too. “I replied, if because of you people, we are not safe in our land, then you too should not feel safe in our territory.”
The protest followed a rally at which Rehman threatened U.S. nationals amid speculation of an imminent attack against bin Laden to mark the anniversary of last August’s bloody U.S. embassy bombings of which he has been accused.
“In the event of an American attack on Afghanistan, there will be war, not against America but against Americans,” Rehman told a public rally Friday in Islamabad.
“The American ambassador should convey the message from the Pakistani people and mujahideen (holy warriors) to his government that neither the ambassador nor any American diplomat in Pakistan will be safe,” he said.
(2) Maleeha Lodhi played a major role in legitimizing the smuggling and sale of the “$1.5 million” statue of “Uma-Maheshvara,” which was stolen from Pakistan, smuggled to London and then sold to the Smithsonian Institution by thieves of artifacts. To hide her corrupt and venal role, she misused a Pakistani writer to blame and implicate the former Director-General of Pakistan’s Department of Archaeology and Museums in the statue theft case. (Documentary evidence: Maleeha Lodhi’s official letter dated May 10, 1996 – American Journalist Syed Adeeb’s article: “Role of Maleeha Lodhi and Pakistani Diplomats in the Sale of Pakistan’s National Asset” – Article’s Internet Address: http://www.paknews.com/july98/main1jul-03.html )
(3) Maleeha Lodhi covered a high crime of her friend Syed Rifaat Hussain, a scam artist, Maleeha’s former Press Minister at the Embassy of Pakistan in Washington, DC, and Assistant Professor at the Quaid-e-Azam University in Pakistan, who stole $43,757.34 dollars from Pakistan’s national treasury through a big fraud he committed when he used to work at the Pakistan’s Washington Embassy. (Documentary proof: Pakistan’s Ministry of Information & Media Development Letter dated 23 October 1998)
(4) Maleeha Lodhi fully supported and defended the corruption and crimes of former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, Benazir’s husband Asif Ali Zardari and her brother Amir Lodhi. “In May 1999, Pakistan’s Supreme Court refused to accept Bhutto’s petition against her conviction. On April 15, 1999, the Ehtesab (Accountability) Bench of the Lahore High Court sentenced Benazir Bhutto, the Queen of Corruption, and her husband Asif Ali Zardari, the King of Corruption, to five years jail, fined them heavily and disqualified them from holding public office after hearing a gross corruption case.” – “Investigations revealed that Zardari was a key player in the [corruption] deal and had worked in tandem with the Washington, D.C. based brother of the Pakistani Ambassador to the United States, Maleeha Lodhi, herself a former journalist and close friend of Benazir. Ms. Lodhi’s brother, Amir Lodhi, had worked for the notorious Bank of Credit & Commerce International (BCCI - Bank of Crooks & Criminals International) and had escaped imprisonment when the bank collapsed by turning approver in the ensuing case against the bank.” (“Maleeha Lodhi, Amir, Zardari and Benazir Bhutto Were Hand and Glove,” Information Times, November 6, 1999 – Internet Address: Inernet Address: http://www.informationtimes.com
(6) Shabbir H. Safdar, the President of APPNA, has deceptively claimed that APPNA “represents 7,500 doctors of Pakistani descent”. Total membership of APPNA is about 1,500 or less, according to our information. Safdar has endorsed a pro-Maleeha Lodhi political statement of the so-called APJSA President, Nasim Ashraf, without the authorization and without the consent of APPNA officers, trustees, councilors, members and Executive Council. By supporting, promoting and endorsing Maleeha Lodhi, a political appointee of Pakistan military’s regime, Safdar has blatantly and intentionally violated Section 501(c)(3) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Code, which regulates APPNA. A complaint against Safdar’s partisan political activity and his lobbying efforts aimed at cunningly influencing the U.S. State Department to approve the nomination papers of Maleeha Lodhi has been sent to the APPNA Ethics & Grievances Committee Chairman by the APPNA Washington-Baltimore-Virginia Chapter President.
Best Regards,
Dr. Mohammad A. Khalid, President, Association of Pakistani Physicians of North America (APPNA) Washington-Baltimore-Virginia Chapter
Mr. Syed Adeeb, President, Human Rights Foundation of North America
Mrs. Zulekha Yusuf, Ms. Hina Kazmi and Mrs. Azra Habib, Directors, Pakistani American Forum
Prof. Javed I. Sheikh and Mr. Hafeez Siddique, Directors, Reform Movement
Mr. Mutahir H. Kazmi, Chairman, Pakistan Human Rights Watch
Mr. Amin Haider, Chairman, Karachi Association of North America
Mr. Riaz U. Attash, Director, Citizens Human Rights Council
Mr. Said Omer Khan, President, Pakhtun Jirga
Mr. Azam Mirza, Vice President, Pakistan Federation of America
Mr. Golam Arshad, Co-Chairman, Lecture Series, Muslim Community Center
Mr. Muhammad Rafique, Chairman, Idara Dawat-O-Irshad USA, Inc.
Maleeha Lodhi is backed by Maulana Fazlur Rehman and his extremist Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI)
Hum, that's interesting! For (1) after Sep. 11th she appeared on the TV show Opera where she blasted the 'extremist' groups in Pakistan. (2) JUI has never gotten along with PPP, or so I understand. Then how can she be in two boats at the same time.
RF: Thanks for the info, it probably answers Spocks question, and your personal comments do pretty much follow what I have heard about her. As far as the petition/letter is concerned, I agree with Ahmadjee, Maleeha is as far removed, politically, from Fazlur Rehman as is Hilary Clinton from the NRA or in the UK's case, Cherie Blair from the British National Party.
Her brother's name has been mentioned quite a bit, but you can't convict someone because of the actions of their family members or friends, and I don't think she's ever been linked to his actions. (I might be wrong!) and she broke with BB a long time back.
Her lifestyle is probably known to most people, but when you reach to that level in Pakistan, drinking isn't unusual, in fact not drinking can be detrimental to your career! Anyway, that's between her and her conscience. I can't comment on the talk about financial impropriety.
Her CV is very impressive and she still achieved quite a lot, despite the internal opposition to her, lobbying for the overturning the pressler Amendment and the crackdown against Pakistani's after 9-11 couldn't have been prevented, even Musharraf failed in that.
**
Her brother's name has been mentioned quite a bit, but you can't convict someone because of the actions of their family members or friends, and I don't think she's ever been linked to his actions. (I might be wrong!) and she broke with BB a long time back.
**
Nonetheless, she is an opportunist of the highest order. Sort of a political chameleon. I can assure you, she'll probably be accepted with "open" arms if BB ever comes to power.
**
Her lifestyle is probably known to most people, but when you reach to that level in Pakistan, drinking isn't unusual, in fact not drinking can be detrimental to your career! Anyway, that's between her and her conscience. I can't comment on the talk about financial impropriety.
**
Am I and the rest of non drinking Muslim Pakistanis fools? One of the basic tenets of Islam prohibit alcohol and these 'so called' higher ups in Pakistan arte nothing but hypocrites! One of the few good things about the Islamazation of Pakistani Armed forces has been the cut off of drinking- Unfortunately Mush. & his coterie has once again 'liberalized' it. Believe at or not. I was called a "Mullah" at one of these occasions..
**
Her CV is very impressive and she still achieved quite a lot, despite the internal opposition to her, lobbying for the overturning the pressler Amendment and the crackdown against Pakistani's after 9-11 couldn't have been prevented, even Musharraf failed in that. **
That is very true. I am sure you are aware of the sort of weight LSE carries in the UK. Plus she is rather eloquent in comparison to other Ambassadors. I don't want to condemn her entirely, however I can fully understand why the Pakistani-American community rejected her.
Maleeha Lodhi is backed by Maulana Fazlur Rehman and his extremist Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI), an anti-American political party based in Pakistan.
[/QUOTE]
RF, having read some of the claims (and that is all they are) against Maleeha Lodhi, and her supposedly liberal lifestyle, do you believe the allegations that some of the Pak-American community have made about her links to the JUI?
RF, having read some of the claims (and that is all they are) against Maleeha Lodhi, and her supposedly liberal lifestyle, do you believe the allegations that some of the Pak-American community have made about her links to the JUI?
[/QUOTE]
Nope.
If you read my first response on my thread, I fully disclosed that I never met her personally. Spock wanted to know what they were and upon Zakk's urging, I disclosed why ** others ** have been not so kind towards her.
On a personal note, my parents have always been politically involved in our home state. Most of the time people in the Pakistani-American community have not participated in the lobbying efforts. So it's quite a small world in terms knowing who is active in the Pakistani-American community. If a certain core group feels that Dr. Lodhi is elitist or whatever, it may not represent the truth.
Am I and the rest of non drinking Muslim Pakistanis fools? One of the basic tenets of Islam prohibit alcohol and these 'so called' higher ups in Pakistan arte nothing but hypocrites! One of the few good things about the Islamazation of Pakistani Armed forces has been the cut off of drinking- Unfortunately Mush. & his coterie has once again 'liberalized' it. Believe at or not. I was called a "Mullah" at one of these occasions..
Yeah I know the feeling, it was a statement of fact RF I was not condoning drinking, in fact a close member of my family was nearly deprived of admission at Medical College in Peshawar because the sifarish dispensers and recipient were drinking buddy's.
I have another point to make though, do you think people are harder on her because she is a female allegedly drinking? After all how many of her male predecessors drank? Or lived it up? Anyway thanks for the info RF; I am sure Spock's saved this thread lol.
