Rabiya Agha elected as first PAS female president

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For the first time in its history, the Pakistan Administrative Service (PAS) Officers Association has unanimously elected a female officer, Rabiya Javeri Agha, as its president.

Outgoing president Younus Dagha proposed Agha’s name at an event held by the organisation at Islamabad Club on October 8.

Speaking after her election, Rabiya asked her fellow officers to persevere towards national interest as the country was passing through challenging times.

A senior female officer of the Pakistani government, Agha currently holds the post of federal secretary for human rights. She entered the civil service in 1986 after graduating from Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts.

Rabiya has held esteemed positions in the government including director general, federal ombudsman, secretary local government board, and financial advisor to the Mayor of Karachi from 1998 to 2000.

She also played an integral role in instituting free legal aid facilities and shelters throughout Sindh for underprivileged women while serving as secretary of the women’s development department. Prior to this, she also served as secretary for the energy department, tourism department and special secretary to the Governor of Sindh.

During her time in the human rights ministry, Rabiya was responsible for promulgation of the National Commission on the Rights of the Child Bill 2017, the Hindu marriage Act 2017, the ICT Child Protection Bill and Juvenile Justice Ordinance System 2018. She has also has presented and defended five treaty reports at the United Nations.

Before joining the bureaucracy, Rabiya worked as a journalist for a leading daily.