Farahnaz Ispahani
Encyclopedia
Farahnaz Ispahani is currently serving as a member of the National Assembly of Pakistan
and as a spokesperson for the President of Pakistan, Asif Ali Zardari
. She is married to Husain Haqqani
, the current Pakistan Ambassador to the United States, and is the granddaughter of Pakistan's first ambassador to the United States, Mirza Abol Hassan Ispahani
. Her uncle, Zia Ispahani has also served as a politician and former ambassador for Pakistan. Ispahani was born in Karachi, and grew up in Karachi, Dhaka and London. She graduated from Wellesley College in Massachusetts, majoring in political science
.
, CNN
, (ABC) and (VOA) assisting in the launch of new programs including CNN's Paula Zahn Now and Anderson Cooper 360°
. In addition, she served as the Managing Editor and Executive Producer for the Voice of America
Urdu language television program Beyond the Headlines. She served as Editor Special Reports for the leading Pakistani news magazine The Herald
, and was the Editor of Zameen, a magazine oriented toward Pakistanis living abroad. She is a regular contributor in The News
, Pakistan's second largest English-language newspaper.
under then-chair Former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto
in its media relations department. She is Media Advisor to the Co-Chairman of the Pakistan People's Party, Asif Ali Zardari.
In early 2008, she took a reserved seat for women in Pakistan's parliament as a member from the Pakistan Peoples Party
, representing the Sindh
province, and also serves as a spokesperson for President Zardari. She is a member of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Information and Broadcasting and Youth Affairs, and the Human Rights Committee.
National Assembly of Pakistan
The National Assembly of Pakistan is the lower house of the bicameral Majlis-e-Shura, which also compromises the President of Pakistan and Senate . The National Assembly and the Senate both convene at Parliament House in Islamabad...
and as a spokesperson for the President of Pakistan, Asif Ali Zardari
Asif Ali Zardari
Asif Ali Zardari is the 11th and current President of Pakistan and the Co-Chairman of the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party . He is also the widower of Benazir Bhutto, who served two nonconsecutive terms as Prime Minister....
. She is married to Husain Haqqani
Husain Haqqani
Husain Haqqani or Hussain Haqqani is the former Pakistan Ambassador to the United States, appointed by Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani in April 2008 and was resigned on November 22, 2011...
, the current Pakistan Ambassador to the United States, and is the granddaughter of Pakistan's first ambassador to the United States, Mirza Abol Hassan Ispahani
Mirza Abol Hassan Ispahani
Mirza Abol Hassan Ispahani was a Pakistani legislator and diplomat. He belonged to a well-to-do family and was educated at St John's College, Cambridge. He completed his Bar-at-Law in 1924 of the All India Muslim League held in Madras in April 1941...
. Her uncle, Zia Ispahani has also served as a politician and former ambassador for Pakistan. Ispahani was born in Karachi, and grew up in Karachi, Dhaka and London. She graduated from Wellesley College in Massachusetts, majoring in political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
.
Professional career
Ispahani spent two decades in journalism -- both print and television -- before entering politics. She worked in broadcasting, working with MSNBCMSNBC
MSNBC is a cable news channel based in the United States available in the US, Germany , South Africa, the Middle East and Canada...
, CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
, (ABC) and (VOA) assisting in the launch of new programs including CNN's Paula Zahn Now and Anderson Cooper 360°
Anderson Cooper 360°
Anderson Cooper 360° is a one-hour television news show on CNN, hosted by the American journalist Anderson Cooper. It is also broadcast around the world on CNN International....
. In addition, she served as the Managing Editor and Executive Producer for the Voice of America
Voice of America
Voice of America is the official external broadcast institution of the United States federal government. It is one of five civilian U.S. international broadcasters working under the umbrella of the Broadcasting Board of Governors . VOA provides a wide range of programming for broadcast on radio...
Urdu language television program Beyond the Headlines. She served as Editor Special Reports for the leading Pakistani news magazine The Herald
Herald (Pakistan)
The Herald is a monthly magazine published in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. It is a political magazine owned by Pakistan Herald Publications Limited , which also publishes the Dawn Group of Newspapers. It is considered to be a neutral magazine and produces many large or breaking stories...
, and was the Editor of Zameen, a magazine oriented toward Pakistanis living abroad. She is a regular contributor in The News
The News International
The News International , published in tabloid size, is the largest English language newspaper in Pakistan. The News has an ABC certified circulation of 140,000. It is published from Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi/Islamabad...
, Pakistan's second largest English-language newspaper.
Political career
In 2006, Ispahani began working for the Pakistan Peoples PartyPakistan Peoples Party
The Pakistan Peoples Party , is a democratic socialist political party in Pakistan affiliated with Socialist International. Pakistan People's Party is the largest political party of Pakistan...
under then-chair Former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto
Benazir Bhutto
Benazir Bhutto was a democratic socialist who served as the 11th Prime Minister of Pakistan in two non-consecutive terms from 1988 until 1990 and 1993 until 1996....
in its media relations department. She is Media Advisor to the Co-Chairman of the Pakistan People's Party, Asif Ali Zardari.
In early 2008, she took a reserved seat for women in Pakistan's parliament as a member from the Pakistan Peoples Party
Pakistan Peoples Party
The Pakistan Peoples Party , is a democratic socialist political party in Pakistan affiliated with Socialist International. Pakistan People's Party is the largest political party of Pakistan...
, representing the Sindh
Sindh
Sindh historically referred to as Ba'ab-ul-Islam , is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and historically is home to the Sindhi people. It is also locally known as the "Mehran". Though Muslims form the largest religious group in Sindh, a good number of Christians, Zoroastrians and Hindus can...
province, and also serves as a spokesperson for President Zardari. She is a member of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Information and Broadcasting and Youth Affairs, and the Human Rights Committee.
External links
- Farahnaz Ispahani at TwitterTwitterTwitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...