About Me
Family
My unusual name originally comes from Iraq, although for several generations my family has lived in India and subsequently, Pakistan. I have lived in rural parts of the UK (Longhope in Gloucestershire for the last 16 years and Carmarthen in Dyfed, Wales) and some of the major cities in the world (London, Brussels, Islamabad and New York), attended sixth form college in Colchester, Essex and spent a few years in the West Midlands as a student at the University of Warwick. I speak several languages including fluent French, Hindi and Urdu.
My family background has shaped my views on politics and social activism. My interest in politics was sparked by frequent dinner conversations on the NHS with my father, a psychiatrist. A widowed grandmother set up a women's empowerment charity which enabled women from impoverished backgrounds to look after their families. Every generation of my family has served in the armed forces - both grandfathers were officers in the Imperial Indian Army and my maternal grandfather was stationed in Iraq and Iran under the British. I have a deep respect for the armed forces and the sacrifices made by our troops. The Patriarch of the family, my great-uncle, Colonel Bashir Hussain Zaidi, was a senior member of the Indian Congress Party. He was one of the first MPs in independent India and served as Chief Minister of Rampur State. He passed down the values of hard work, standing up for what you believed in, public service and compassion for others.
Education
I completed my GCSEs in Carmarthen, Wales and A Levels in Colchester, Essex. I am proud of my comprehensive school education. I studied English & European Law at the University of Warwick, spent a year studying for a Diploma in Law at the University of Lille II in France and then went on to undertake a Masters in Banking & Finance Law at the London School of Economics.
Work
After completing a Legal Practice Course at the College of Law in York, I joined the London office of an international law firm, where my practice comprised of Mergers & Acquisitions, EU competition law and general corporate law. I qualified as a Solicitor in 2001.
My social activism then took over and I pursued a lifelong ambition to undertake human rights and international development work overseas. I have undertaken work for a number of organisations including the British Council and UNICEF and in areas as diverse as access to justice, governance, gender, humanitarian work, HIV & AIDS and health. I was subsequently offered the chance of combining my legal and development background as Deputy Director (Legal) at the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan. As well as being Head of the Advisory Wing, I worked on a legal and economic reform programme, drafting laws, formulating policy, working with the Asian Development Bank and advising the Pakistan Government on a Bilateral Investment Treaty with the US. I continued to undertake consultancy work in emerging markets issues.
Between 2007 and 2009, I acted as an Advisor to Andrew Mitchell MP for Sutton Coldfield and Shadow Secretary of State for International Development, a Researcher to Margot James, Vice-Chair of the Conservative Party for Women and Conservative Candidate for Stourbridge and a Project Manager (External Relations) within Conservative Campaign Headquarters. I continue to advise a number of the shadow team on various policy areas.
In 2005, I helped set up a development charity focussed on education and training and served as its Vice-President. I hope to set up a second charity in the future.
Interests
I enjoy spending quality time with family and friends, eating out, taking walks especially locally in the Forest of Dean, watching films, listening to music (I am a huge fan of world music) and painting. Quite a few weekends are spent visiting art galleries, museums and historic buildings. I am an avid fan of Liverpool football club and follow most sports. When I was younger, I used to be quite good at sports but my physical activity these days is limited to yoga and jogging.