By: FAHEEM MIAN
New York: Dr. Mariam Shaikh, a Pakistani Information Group Officer who had served as Counselor Press at Pakistan Mission, now becomes the first ever Pakistani woman to work as an Advisor- Digital and social media to the President of the United Nations General Assembly.
As per details, Dr. Mariam Shaikh has been offered a role in the core team assigned with the responsibility to develop and implement the President’s social and digital media strategy due to her outstanding work and capabilities.
In existing practice, only officers of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs were considered in the past , that too, on a secondment basis, supported by their government. Member States lobby hard to get their candidates selected by the PGA on a secondment basis.
Fortunately, Pakistan is among the few members states whose officer has been selected on priority by the president with support from the president’s fund.
Based on her competence, Dr. Mariam’s candidature to the President of the General Assembly was considered for recruitment to the United Nations Secretariat.
In the office indicated (OPGA-78) , H.E Mr. Dennis Francis of Trinidad and Tobago from one of the Small Island Developing States (SIDS) is the current president of the General Assembly.
Dr. Mariam Shaikh has been given permission to join the offered role on a deputation basis under Civil Servants (Service in International Organizations).
During her tenure as Counselor Press, Dr. Mariam Shaikh was known for her extraordinary performance that includes successful media coverage and promoting the narrative of Pakistan at the United Nations, especially during annual UNGA, flood exhibition, securing chairmanship of Committee on Information for Pakistan.
