She is popularly known as a poet[3] in Punjabi and Urdu, a columnist, and a writer, and has been prominent in public speaking.

She holds the portfolio of a public sector official and bureaucrat, working with the Government of Pakistan.

[citation needed] Shaista has worked to promote Punjabi language, literature, art and culture.

As a result of her efforts, the Punjab Legislative Assembly passed a bill for the establishment of an institution named the Punjab Institute of Language, Art & Culture, which started functioning, initially, in 2005, in a rented building at Shadman Colony, Lahore, as part of the Ministry of Information, Culture and Youth Affairs, with Shaista as the founding director.

Shaista has visited Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Thailand, India, UK, France, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Netherlands, Singapore, United Arab Emirates, Hong Kong-China, South Korea, and Sri Lanka, to deliver lectures and research papers in connection with promoting the Punjabi language.