Umar Cheema

Special Correspondent Umar Cheema, writes investigative stories on politics and terrorism from Islamabad for The News International. He has broken stories about the relationship between the Inter-Services Intelligence agency and jihadi organizations and the illegal occupation of lands by Pakistani armed forces.

Cheema has served as the secretary general of the Islamabad chapter of the South Asia Free Media Association and is writing a book about the history of suicide bombing. He received his B.A. in literature and journalism in 1998 and his M.A. in mass communications in 2000, both from Punjab University.

Taj Haider

A writer, playwright and a versatile genius Taj Haider was born on March 8, 1942 at Kotah in Raihastan. Hailing from an enlightened family, he received early education at GBSS, Ranchore Lines, Karachi, before moving to Khairpur for his higher secondary education. He earned B Sc Honours from the Karachi University in 1962 and further studied to get the M Sc. degree during the year 1962-63 at the same University. He also did a certificate course in exports in 1980.

Having an in-born aptitude for academics, literature and fine arts he made an early impact. His writings and contributions reflected his urge to set the things in order and see that right prevails over might. He continued to advance and promote the cause of the down trodden through his writings and wrote memorable plays for the Pakistan Television very actively from 1978 to 1985.

His political career is also imbued with the same urge for reformation and open minded approach towards the solution of the problems of the people particularly those living below the poverty line. He is a founder member of the Pakistan Peoples Party and was a committed supporter of change oriented philosophy of late Mr. Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto.

He has had the honour of contributing in the projects like Saindak Integrated Mineral Development Project, Heavy Mechanical Complex, Manchar Lake, Lal Shahbaz Airport, Hub Dam and Thar Coal Deposits Project aimed at fighting environmental pollution.

He was elected to the Senate of Pakistan in July 1995 against the seat vacated by the former Senator Mr. Kamaluddin Azfar on his appointment as Governor Sindh. He remained a member of the Senate Standing Committees on Industries and Production and on Water and Power and on Education and Scientific and Technological Research and also on Functional Committee on Less Developed Areas. Presently he is the Secretary of the Pakistan People Party’s Karachi Division.

Tabish Gauhar

Tabish Gauhar is the CEO of KESC, as of November 2009. He has served as an Executive Director at Abraaj Capital since 2006 and is the former Group Chief Financial Officer for Europe, Middle East, Africa (EMEA) at AES Corporation, the leading global power company. Tabish was at AES for over six years.

Overall, he has sixteen years experience in the energy sector in Pakistan and regionally and led the management team that oversaw the acquisition of Abraaj's stake in KESC in 2008. He has been on the Board of Directors of the utility from earlier this year and serves on its Executive Committee also.

Previous to AES, Tabish worked as Deputy Treasurer on the US$1.5bn Hub Power Project in Pakistan between 1994 and 1999. His first job was at Engro Chemical, where he was a Systems Analyst. He was an ICI/Chevening Scholar at King's College, London, where he obtained a First with Honours in Electrical Engineering. He is also an MBA (Finance) from the Institute Of Business Administration (IBA) in Karachi and hails from the city also.

Haji Hanif Tayyab

Mr. Hanif Tayyab was educated in Madrasatul Islam Kharader and did his matriculation from Qureshi High School. He got admitted to D.J. Science College but later opted for arts and got Masters degree in Islamic Studies from Karachi University. He also received LL.B. degree from Urdu Law College, but he did not go for the legal profession. He preferred the field of social service and politics. He established Anjuman-e-Tulba-e-Islam and served as its Founder President. He also worked with Maulana Abdul Sattar Edhi for sometimes. He then joined Jamiat-e-Ulemai Pakistan and served as General Secretary of the Karachi branch. In 1975, he was elected as a member of the National Assembly. In 1977, he was again elected to the National Assembly. In 1983, he was elected on the seat reserved for Karachi Municipal Corporation.

He was elected member of the National Assembly in the non-party elections held in 1985. In 1985, he became Federal Minister. His portfolios were changed from time to time but he continued as a minister. He remained Federal Minister for more than 3 years and got varied experience of Ministry for Labour, Manpower & Overseas Pakistanis, National Resources, Environment etc. He took part in a number of international conferences and traveled to Indonesia, Kenya, India, Iran, Saudi Arabia, UK, USA, Iraq & Holland etc. For 5 times he was elected President of All Pakistan Memon Federation. He rendered his social services under the banner of Al-Mustafa Welfare Trust to the people of Pakistan.