Humaira Awais Shahid

Humaira Awais Shahid is a working journalist, human rights activist, and former legislator. She focuses primarily on human rights issues, and has been advocating, writing, and legislating against human rights abuses

Shahid is the first parliamentarian of the Provincial Assembly of the Punjab to pass a law (and repeal a former one) as a private member. This achievement took more than four years in parliament, with opposition from government benches, administrative departments, and the cabinet. Her legislation, the Punjab Private Money Lending Act, 2007, prohibited interest-based private money lending in Punjab, Pakistan, and her law was replicated and adopted by the Provincial Assembly of the North-West Frontier Province. She also moved two ground breaking resolutions against Acid Attacks and customary practice of forced marriages Vani.