Cristina is a Brazilian, whose adopted home is Pakistan. With a larger than life presence, she wears many hats: an accomplished equestrian, environmentalist, an ex-restaurateur, philanthropist, interior designer and a diplomat’s wife.

In recognition of her role in promoting Brazil’s friendship with Pakistan, she was decorated with the prestigious award ‘the Order of Rio Branco’ by the Government of Brazil. While embracing Pakistan, Cristina fiercely retains her identity: her motto is, “wherever you go, you take your country with you”.

She is married to Ambassador (Retd) Tariq Khan Afridi, who has served as Ambassador of Pakistan to Brazil, Jordan, Portugal and Libya. He was Captain of Pakistan Polo Team to India in 1986.

Shattered by the death of her only child, Cristina has responded to the tragedy by forming the Karim Khan Afridi Welfare Foundation. Its purpose, to give direction to the youth of Pakistan: to sensitize them to the dangers of drugs, instill in them a sense of responsibility towards the environment and society, and give them opportunities to participate in competitive sports. With Islamabad’s environment increasingly threatened by developers, she has also emerged as a leading voice in the movement to save Islamabad as a member of Green Force. 

She has twice attended the UN General Assembly Special Session on world drug problem in New York in 2016. The contributions of KKAWF are available on official website of UNODC.

She has also participated in a Regional Conference with 7 Countries in Tehran in July 2016.

She has attended the Sixtieth session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND), Vienna, March 2017.

She also attended the first ‘Parliamentarians Against Drugs’ conference at Moscow in Dec 2017.

The Foundation today goes around Pakistan, visiting educational institutions giving talks to the students and helping youth understand and manage emotions during their adolescent years.