[4][5] Lakhani was born in Kampala, Uganda, the daughter of Abdul and Malek Rajabali, into an Ismaili Muslim family.

Zaheer became a cardiologist while Salma helped manage his practice and opened a business focused on early childhood education.

Salma became involved in the Edmonton community, becoming one of the first mentors in NorQuest College's Youth in Transition program, a founding member of the college's 1000Women: A Million Possibilities movement, serving on the board of the John Humphrey Centre for Peace and Human Rights, and volunteering with Lois Hole Hospital for Women, Kids Kottage, Sorrentino's Compassion House, the Alberta Cancer Board, the Zebra Foundation and Aga Khan Foundation Canada.

[6] In the 1990s, Zaheer helped establish cardiac services at a hospital in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, while Salma volunteered at two of the city's schools and with local women's charity groups.

[10][11][12] Though Lakhani acknowledged that her role is viewed as mostly ceremonial, she emphasized her belief in "do[ing] the right thing for our people and for our Constitution".