Profile
In 1985, Abida Hussain became the first woman in Pakistan’s history to be directly mandated in a general election as Member National Assembly. She was re-elected Member National Assembly in 1988. In August 1990, she was appointed the Minister for Information and Broadcasting.
In March 1991, she was appointed Advisor to the Prime Minister for Population Welfare. From November 1991 – April 1993 she served as Ambassador of Pakistan to the United States of America. In 1994, she became Member of the Working Committee of Pakistan Muslim league. In November 1996, she was appointed Federal Minister for Social Welfare and Education, Science and Technology, Culture, Sports, Tourism and Women Development in the interim government. In February 1997 she was elected Member National Assembly and was appointed Federal Minister for Population Welfare, Environment, Local Government & Rural Development, Food, Agriculture & Livestock, Women’s Development, Social Welfare & Special Education in February, 1997. As of July 1997 she was Minister for Population Welfare and Science & Technology until May 1999, when she resigned from cabinet.
Abida Hussain studied at Convent of Jesus & Mary, Lahore from where she obtained her “O” levels, at Villa MiraMonte, Montreux, (Switzerland) (“A” levels) and later obtained a diploma in Fine Arts from Florence (Italy). She is fluent in English, French, Italian and two oriental languages – Punjabi and Urdu. She majored in Economics and Political Science for her BA degree from BZU University in Pakistan.
She is the daughter of late Col. Syed Abid Hussain, a distinguished parliamentarian of undivided India, who was a member of the first Constituent Assembly of Pakistan and a Cabinet Minister (1954-58). She is married to SYED FAKHAR IMAM who, like her, was thrice elected Member of National Assembly. Mr. Imam was Minister for Local Government (1981-83), Speaker of National Assembly (1985-86) and Federal Minister for Education (1990-93).
She is mother of three children. Her two daughters, Umme Kulsum Imam and Sughra Hussain Imam graduated from Harvard University, while her son Abid Hussain Imam graduated from Yale University, and is J.D. from Columbia Law School.
Her interest in agriculture is well known. She is the Chief Executive of Shah Jewna Stud Farm (a premier thoroughbred horse breeding farm), and Cattle Breeders Ltd. (a modern dairy project). She is also a successful cotton and sugarcane grower.
Participation in Conference/Workshops- 2008 _ Containing Terrorism Conference at Royal Defense College, London.
- 2006 _ Doha Initiative by Brookings Institution at Doha, Qatar.
- 2003 _ South Asia Initiative, Harvard University.
- 2000 _ Salzburg Seminar on South Asian CBMs.
- 1998 _ Salzburg Seminar on South Asian imperatives.
- 1997 – Rio Plus 5 Global Conference United Nations, New York, U.S.A.
- 1997 – D8 Summit, Istanbul, Turkey.
- 1994 – Study Tour, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Japan.
- 1993 – Seminars at Harvard, Berkeley, Stanford and Colombia University.
- 1992 – Earth Summit, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
- 1989 – Afghan Refugees Conference Tehran, Iran.
- 1989 – Asian Women’s Conference, Tashkent, USSR.
- 1988 – Democratic National Presidential Convention, Atlanta, USA.
- 1987 – Afghan Refugees Conference, Bellagio, Italy.
- 1986 – Asian Crafts Council, Assembly, New Delhi.
- 1986 – Inter Parliamentary Union, Mexico City.
- 1986 – International Observer Mission to view The Philippines Senatorial Elections.
- 1982 – Asian Crafts Council Assembly Colombo.
- 1980 – ESCAP Workshop on Women, Anand (India)
- 1980 – 35th General Assembly Session of the U.N., New York.
- 1980 – Administrative Staff College, China Course.
- 1975 – Algerian Congress of Women
- 1975 – Seminar at Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, U.S.A.
- 1974 – Preparatory Conference, International Women’s Year, Warsaw.
- 1969 – World Congress of Women, Helsinki.
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