Hina Rabbani Khar is Pakistan’s State Minister for Economic Affairs. The State Ministers report directly to the Prime Minister and hold specific portfolios. In Hina’s case, she is responsible for international (multilateral and bilateral) grants and loans. Her Ministry is the official signatory for any project that is launched in Pakistan with foreign financial assistance. Her father, Ghulam Rabbani Khar, drove Hina’s entry into politics, setting her on a different path from the hotel management career she had been pursuing with great zeal. A graduate from the Lahore University of Management Sciences, Hina also holds a Masters from the University of Massachusetts. She is also one of the owners of the Polo Lounge, an upscale, popular restaurant located on the Lahore Polo Grounds.
Meeting Hina was a refreshing experience on many levels: she is articulate, brilliant, enterprising, and very far-sighted for her age (not even 30 yet!). Moreover, she is humble, approachable, professional, and knows her job very well. We were able to call her on her cell phone and set up a meeting directly without having to go through her administrative staff, and she was there before we reached our meeting venue. At the end of the day, if we have more people like her in our government, perhaps Pakistan’s positive image won’t need any marketing beyond simply introducing them to the world!
