A delegation from Pakistan’s Womens Parliamentary Caucus visited the UK Parliament from 25 to 27 November 2025 to share practical experience on women’s political participation, inclusive governance and cross-party cooperation. Led by WPC Secretary Dr. Shahida Rehmani, MNA, the visit brought together Pakistani parliamentarians and UK colleagues for focused exchange on legislative practice and women’s leadership.
The delegation included senior MNAs Ms. Tahira Aurangzeb, Ms. Mahtab Akbar Rashdi, Ms. Naeema Kishwar Khan, Ms. Mussarrat Asif Khawaja and Ms. Saira Afzal Tarar, along with Syeda Nosheen Iftikhar, MNA, Ms. Nikhat Shakeel Khan, MNA, and Ms. Minail Khan, Chief Technical Advisor to the National Assembly. Delegates led sessions on parliamentary procedure, evidence-gathering, standards, and the particular challenges faced by newly elected women MPs.
Speakers from the Pakistani delegation addressed a range of issues: Dr. Shahida Rehmani and Ms. Nikhat Shakeel Khan explained parliamentary processes, Ms. Saira Afzal Tarar discussed building cross-party collaboration, Syeda Nosheen Iftikhar reflected on early-career challenges for women legislators, and Ms. Mussarrat Asif Khawaja spoke on parliamentary standards. Ms. Naeema Kishwar Khan outlined approaches to evidence-based lawmaking while Ms. Mahtab Akbar Rashdi addressed online abuse and violence against women in politics. Ms. Tahira Aurangzeb joined Dr. Rehmani to present on gender-responsive budgeting.
Ms. Minail Khan briefed UK parliamentarians on the evolution of Pakistan’s Womens Parliamentary Caucus from its early roots to formal establishment in 2008, highlighting institutional milestones, persistent challenges and the caucus’s growing role in strengthening parliamentary inclusivity. UK MPs said the exchange had inspired moves to establish a similar cross-party women’s caucus in the UK and noted the practical value of peer-to-peer learning.
The visit concluded with the signing of a Joint Communique between the UK Special Envoy for Women and Girls, Baroness Harriet Harman KC, and the Pakistani delegation. The communique commits both sides to champion women’s rights and agency, promote legislation and policies for equality, eradicate discrimination and violence, advance women’s political participation and leadership, and improve access to education and healthcare for women and girls.
Dr. Rehmani expressed confidence that the exchange would strengthen parliamentary leadership and broaden opportunities for women’s political participation. She said the visit underscored the value of shared experience in building more inclusive legislatures and reaffirmed the caucus’s commitment to solidarity and collaboration with international partners.
