Pakistan's federal minister for information Sherry Rehman has been conferred with the title 'democracy's hero' in recognition of her struggle to put Pakistan back on the track to democracy by the somewhat controversial International Republican Institute (IRI).

IRI conferred this title for Rehma's unstinting effort in the struggle for democracy in Pakistan by trying to initiate democratic reforms, empowering women and also her efforts to ensure press freedom through the introduction of various parliamentary bills.

Pakistanis from different walks of life hailed the Rehman being conferred the award, with Asma Jehangir, chairwoman, Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), saying the IRI Award was in recognition of Rehman's struggle for democracy.

Talking to Pakistan media, Jehangir said that after winning this award, Rehman will have to speed up her efforts for strengthening democracy and freedom of media in Pakistan.

She said the award would also encourage other Pakistani women to come forward and fight for the protection of women rights.

Congratulating Rehman, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said that it was an honour not only for her but for the entire people of Pakistan, especially women who are taking an active part in strengthening the process of democracy in the country.

Senator Nilofar Bakhtiar from PPP's political rival PML-Q said the award for Rehman was an honour for all Pakistani women hoped that all Pakistani women could follow in the the foot steps of Rehman.

Another political rival, national asembly member Khushbakht Shujaat of the MQM said that Pakistani women, whenever given a chance, have proved their mettle.

A former journalist and television anchor, Rehman is now a member of parliament from the PPP and had worked with Benazir Bhutto for restoring democracy in Pakistan by campaigning with PPP workers all over the country and leading protests against the military rule of former President, Gen Parvez Musharraf.

She was confined by the Pakistani police several times and some of her meetings were tear-gassed by the police. Rehman continued with her campaign even after the assassination of Benazir Bhutto, in attempting to change Pakistan's political system through the ballot box.

She and PPP workers had worked closely with the IRI during the pre-parliamentary and provincial elections, as part of IRI's political party work to strengthen the party's foundation and campaign for elections on issues important to the public.

The International Republican Institute, which was founded in 1983 and funded by the US government, has faced a fair bit of controversy as the organisation's aim and charter to conduct international political programmes, sometimes labeled as "democratisation programmes", have been accused of covertly overthrowing democratically elected governments in some countries.

Although its charter says that it wants freedom throughout the world through assisting political party and candidate development, electoral reform and election monitoring among other agendas, it is accused of funding coup leaders in Haiti to overthrow the democratically-elected President, Jean-Bertrand Aristide.

On 29 January 2006, CBC television in the US had premiered a documentary film, Haiti: Democracy Undone, about the IRI's role in the coup.

The Cuban government had also accused the IRI of trying to playing a similar toppling game in Cuba and said that an anonymous US State Department source had told a journalist that former Congressional staff Caleb McCarry had carried money from the IRI to topple the elected government in Haiti.

Some analysts believe that the IRI is one of the covert fronts for the CIA and helps the agency achieve its political objectives.