The Pakistan Administrative Service (PAS) Officers Association has, for the first time in its history, unanimously elected a female officer as its president.
Rabiya Javeri Agha’s name was proposed by the outgoing president, Younus Dagha, 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.
She currently holds the post of federal secretary for human rights. Rabiya is one of the senior female officers of the Pakistani government. After graduating from Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts, she entered the civil service in 1986.
Rabiya has served the government in several capacities. In her judicial assignments, she was both ‘first class’ and juvenile magistrate. She has also worked as director general, federal ombudsman, secretary local government board, and financial advisor to the Mayor of Karachi from 1998 to 2000.
Rabiya was instrumental 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.
