Rehman Chishti
Biography
Rehman Chishti was Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office between 8 July 2022 and 8 September 2022. He was elected as MP for Gillingham and Rainham in May 2010.
Education
Born in Pakistan, Rehman moved to the UK when he was 6. He was educated at local schools in Medway, and studied law at the University of Wales Aberystwyth.
After University, Rehman studied for his Barrister Vocational Course at the Inns of Court School of Law. Rehman was called to the Bar of England and Wales at Lincolns Inn in 2001.
Political career
Rehman was the Prime Minister’s Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief from September 2019 to September 2020. In 2018 he was the Vice Chairman of the Conservative Party covering faith and communities.
Rehman was a member of the Home Affairs Select Committee from 2017 to 2019, and previously served on the Justice Select Committee and Joint Committee on Human Rights.
From 2017 to 2018, Rehman was the Prime Minister’s UK Trade Envoy to Pakistan. Other previous government appointments include Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) to the Rt Hon Jeremy Wright QC MP, Attorney General in 2015 to 2016, and PPS to Nick Gibb MP, Minister of State for Education in 2014 to 2015.
Rehman has been Chair of the Conservative Foreign and Commonwealth Council since 2016 and is an Executive Member of the British American Parliamentary Group.
From 1999 to 2007, Rehman served as a Political Adviser to Benazir Bhutto.
In 2006 Rehman was an Adviser on communities to then Chairman of the Conservative Party Francis Maude.
Career outside of politics
Rehman practiced as a Barrister at Goldsmith Chambers, specialising in criminal law both prosecution and defence.
Outside interests
His interests include running, tennis, squash, football (watching the Gills), cricket, travelling, films and spending time with family.
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