Ameena Ilahi

Ameena Ilahi is the The Asia Foundation's Deputy Country Representative in Pakistan. Ms. Ilahi brings a wide range of development experience with particular interest in results-based monitoring and evaluation, program design and development, grants management, and communications.

Previously in Pakistan she worked primarily with international humanitarian organizations; she served as the monitoring and reporting specialist with Experience International on a large-scale agriculture project funded by the U.S Department of Agriculture. With the International Relief and Development, she was the monitoring and evaluation reporting manager where she led the development of the M&E framework, donor compliance and reporting, and capacity building of partner organizations. As the senior grants manager with Relief International, she managed a range of emergency response grants during the country's internal displacement crisis and flood disaster. As the grants and communication manager with the International Rescue Committee she was responsible for the entire grants administration cycle and the point person for all communications and outreach.

Prior to arriving in Pakistan, Ms. Ilahi worked as program coordinator with the Foundation for International Training where she undertook review missions to the Baltic States, developed proposals for CIDA in the areas of governance and human rights, and worked with partners in Egypt and Romania on developing effective communication strategies. She later served as the Research Grants facilitator at Brock University, assisting teaching staff in identification and development of research proposals and forging new partnerships with funders.

Ms. Ilahi brings direct country experience in Pakistan, Egypt, Romania, Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia, and Norway, and has worked in varied development sectors, including child rights, gender and development, emergency response, post-conflict development, good governance/democratization, water, sanitation & hygiene, agriculture, institutional strengthening and capacity building.

Education: Ms. Ilahi holds a BA in Sociology/Anthropology from Carleton University in Canada and an MSc in Agricultural Development from the University of London, UK.

http://asiafoundation.org/

Masood Khalid

Mr. Masood Khalid was appointed as Ambassador of Pakistan to the Peoples Republic of China in December 2012 . Born on 30 December 1955 and is married. Mr. Masood Khalid, an official of Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has served in Islamabad and abroad for about 33 years. Over the years, he has acquired expertise in various facets of Pakistan's foreign policy, including multilateral diplomacy and social development, as well as Pakistan's relations with China, South Asia and the United States.

       From August 2010 to December 2012,  served as High Commissioner for Pakistan to Malaysia. From June 2007 – August 2010, Served as Additional Secretary (Asia Pacific) at Headquarters Islamabad . He has also served as Ambassador of Pakistan to the Republic of Korea (2005-2007). Held various diplomatic assignments in Pakistan Missions abroad; Seoul (1984-1988), London (1992-1995), Tashkent (1996-1998) and New York (2001-2005). Served at Headquarters (1980-1984), Director (1989-1992 & 1998-2000) and Director General (2000-2001).

Nosheen Abbas

Nosheen Abbas worked with Dawn Group of newspapers as a writer and TV correspondent. She was the youngest columnist for Dawn when she wrote the column 'Youthink' in which she addressed the issues of the Pakistani youth and forwarded their voices on local and global issues. She made special reports for Dawn News, the first English news channel in Pakistan. Most recently she has worked with the BBC World Service in London and Pakistan, reporting on the floods for the BBC Urdu FMs emergency programme, 'Life Line Pakistan.'

Nosheen has worked for the United Nations, Plan international, World Population Foundation, and the Commonwealth Youth Programme on a number of youth development initiatives. She created Pakistan's first Framework Policy for Adolescents in Pakistan as well as a mechanism for a UN wide youth advisory panel in Pakistan. (http://www.huffingtonpost.com)

Hadia Tajik

Hadia Tajik (born 18 July 1983) is a Norwegian-pakistani lawyer, journalist and politician. She is a Member of Parliament from the Labour Party representing Oslo.^[1] On 21 September 2012 she was appointed Minister of Culture and became the youngest minister ever in Norway.

Hadia Tajik was born 18 July 1983 in the village of Bjørheimsbygd in Strand, Rogaland to shopkeeper M. Sarwar Tajik (1947-) and mother Safia Qazalbash (1948-). Her parents had emigrated from Pakistan. After completing Bjørheimsbygd elementary school as one of only seven pupils, she attended Tau junior high school between 1996 and 1998 and later Strand Senior high school from 1998 to 2001. She studied human rights at Kingston University in England from 2004 to 2005, she has a bachelor's degree in journalism fromStavanger University College and studied law at the University of Oslo receiving her Master of Law degree in 2012

Tajik was active in politics from an early age, and was the leader of the Strand chapter of the Workers youth league (AUF) from 1999 to 2002, before becoming deputy leader of the Rogaland AUF from until 2003. She served as political advisor to the Minister of Justice,Knut Storberget, from 2008 to 2009. While serving under Storberget, she became involved in the so-called hijab-affair when the Department of Justice withdrew a decision to allow police women to wear hijab in the service. It was a decision Tajik, along with Astri Aas-Hansen, allegedly authored.^[4] Previously she held the position of advisor to the Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg (in 2009) and the Minister for Labour and Social Inclusion, Bjarne Håkon Hanssen (2006 to 2008).^[5]

On 14 September 2009, Tajik was elected Member of Parliament for the Norwegian Labour Party. Representing Oslo, she was listed as candidate number six on the Labour ticket, which was considered a safe seat.^[6] During her tenure in parliament, she was a member of the Standing Committee on Education, Research and Church Affairs as well as the Election committee. On 19 September 2012 she announced her intention to run for re-election for Oslo.

On September 2012, as part of a larger cabinet reshuffle, prime minister Jens Stoltenberg announced that Tajik would become the new Minister of Culture. She replaced Anniken Huitfeldt who became the new Minister of Labour and Social affairs. At the time, she was the youngest ever to become a minister in Norway (at 29), and her appointment made her the first ever Muslim to serve in the Norwegian cabinet. (Wikipedia)

Sonya Jehan

She was born to Noor Jehan's eldest son, Akbar Hussain Rizvi and Florence Rizvi who is French. Her mother owns a French restaurant named Cafe Flo in
Karachi, Pakistan. She finished her A-Level study from The Lyceum School and O-levels from Centre of Advanced Studies. From St. Martin's College of Art and Design she received a degree.

Sonya married an Indian banker named Vivek Narain. 

She changed her name from Sonya Rizvi to Sonya Jehan after her grandmother Noor Jehan's name. 

CAREER
In 2005 she did an advertisment for Lux Soap. She started her film career as Mumtaaj mahal in Taj Mahal: An Eternal Love Story (2005). Actor and model Zulfi Sayed played the role of Shah Jahan opposite her. In 2007 she appeared in Shiney Ahuja and Soha Ali Khan starring Khoya Khoya Chand where she played a character named Ratanbala. 

Karan Johar's My Name Is Khan (2010) is her upcoming release. Superstar Shahrukh Khan and Kajol are playing the lead roles in this film.

Carla Khan

Carla Khan is from the great line of squash champions, her grandfather being Azam Khan, great uncle Hashim Khan known as the godfather of squash. Her Father is from Nawakille, Peshawar, Pakistan he was a junior world champion and won the prestigious Davis Cup which is equivalent to the British Junior Open.

She started with her brother playing squash at the age of 12, from the very first moment she stepped onto the court she realised that this was what she wanted to do for a long time to come.  Carla Khan reached 20 in the world on the professional women's International circuit, she represented England and was a top junior player having won various junior titles including being European junior number one.  At the age of 19 she changed to represent Pakistan, Carla then made history as she was the first female from the direct line of champions to pursue a career in the game.

In November 2002, at the El Salvador Open, she won her first major title. Her improvements continued in 2003, her most successful season yet and won the Ottawa International Open in Canada. She then broke into the top 30 world rankings and soon became the Pakistani National Number One.  In 2005 Carla beat current World Number One Nicol David from Malaysia in the Irish Open her best achievement yet. She then went on to win the first ever women's international tournament in Pakistan not dropping a single game beating her opponent from Malaysia in straight sets.

Through Carla Khans achievements she gained media coverage around the world and has been recognised as the Squash Queen of Pakistan, her fan base stretches worldwide including ex pats from Pakistan.

After a serious back injury in Sri Lanka at the South Asian Games in 2006 whilst playing for the Pakistan team as the Number One, Carla had to stop playing and was informed that her squash playing days were over. However she returned in 2007 and leaped back into the top world 40's, winning the Iranian Open and the Austrian Open.

Carla made a decision in 2008 to retire even though she was moving back up the ladder to reach her ultimate goal. Carla has not fully left the sport as she trains, continues to play leagues and coaches squash players. She has now had the opportunity to coach in many countries, having been invited to coach the Iranian women's team, Egyptian women's team, Pakistan girls and in 2008-2009 she coached full time in New York, U.S.A. developing the women's squash at a prestigious Country Club.

Carla Khan now retired from the tour but continues to be a role model for women sport players in Pakistan as she made history for sport in the country that opened there arms to her, she is best know as the controversial player and "hardest hitter" who was always aggressive, passionate and determined as life was never easy for Carla, as she was never fully accepted by both English or Pakistani sports institutions but for that reason she strived to do her best.

Carla is now pursuing a career in t.v, radio and writing which has always been her passion, Carla would also love to be a spokeswoman for female players worldwide.

Yasmeen Ghauri

Yasmeen Ghauri is an internationally famous Model of Half German/Half Pakistani descent. She has modeled for many international magazines and brands including Christian Dior, Vogue, Elle, Cosmopolitan, Revlon etc etc

Yasmeen Ghauri was born in Montreal, Quebec to a Pakistani father, Moin Ghauri, and a German mother, Linda Ghauri. Early on in her life, Ghauri had a difficult childhood often being teased by her classmates at school for being too thin and for her ethnicity. During those difficult days she began to shun people and found refuge in Islam. Ghauri was reportedly working at a McDonalds restaurant at the age of 17 when she was discovered by Montreal hairdresser and salon artistic director of Platine Coiffure Edward Zaccharia. At the restaurant, she often turned up dressed in black from head to toe and people described her as having a rebellious nature. Despite this, she was named Employee of the Month. Soon after her discovery, there was a shift in mentality within the fashion industry, moving from predominantly all-American models to more “ethnic” models, a trend which Ghauri fit.

Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy

Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy is an Emmy award winning documentary filmmaker. Her films include PAKISTAN’S TALIBAN GENERATION, which aired on PBS, Channel 4, CBC, SBS and Arte and was the recipient of the Alfred I Dupont Award as well as The Association for International Broadcasting award. Sharmeen has made over a dozen-multi award winning films in over 10 countries around the world and is the first non-American to be awarded the Livingston Award for best international reporting.

In 2007, Sharmeen was awarded the broadcast journalist of the year award in the UK by One World Media for her work in a series of documentary films for Channel 4, which included a film about xenophobia in South Africa THE NEW APARTHEID. Her other films have been awarded The Overseas Press Club Award, The American Women in Radio and Television Award, The Cine Golden Eagle award and the Banff Rockie Award.

Sharmeen was born and raised in Karachi, Pakistan and received a bachelors degree from Smith College and went on to complete two masters degree from Stanford University.

Farida Gul Haroon

Farida Gul Haroon is a self taught artist who attended Art College in Lahore, Pakistan.
But the muse that inspired her creativity was the experiences and the tribulations that she witnessed.
Oppression, misery and suppression make the silent tales of the inner world of women.
It is an indelible stain on humanity void of compassion, dehumanizing both the oppressed and the oppressor, and the evidence of it is so offensive to modern sensibilities and sensitivities that we preserve proof of it as lessons for the coming generations.
She tried to put on to canvas what she felt and by not taking the “side road”. She is more interested in the philosophy of life and the struggle of the feminine role. Farida has a unique perception which some refer to as mysticism. This is the spiritual influence that greatly impacts her work.
She paints in different mediums at different times,although she loves gold leaf addition to her work!!!
Website: www.karmaartgallery.org

Mian Muhammad Masroor Saeed

Mian Muhammad Masroor Saeed was born in 29/12/1964 at Lahore , He started his study from Lahore & pass the examination of Metric from  JOHN MCDONALD HIGH SCHOOL in 1979 & also pass the examination of B-A from MAO COLLAGE LAHORE . He started his own business in United Kingdom . He join PMLN in 1990 from United Kingdom . Now he is the Senior Vice President of PMLN in UK

Asarulislam Syed

Amir of Jannat Pakistan Party, Asarulislam Syed, M.D, Neurologist and Psychiatrist, lives in California, USA. Besides enjoying a deep interest in cognitive sciences and human behavior, he has held a lifelong interest in The Quran, and has devoted himself, pondering over The Final Message. A non-conformist Muslim , he has no religious sectarian affiliation or denomination. He delivers the rational message of The Quran from Shalimar Radio, Los Angeles, every Saturday at noon on Channel 900 AM.

Born and raised in Lahore, his family comes from Tibba Syedan, Sialkot. His parents, Dr. Zubaida Gilani and Brigadier Habibus Saqlain, were both physicians from King Edward Medical College Lahore. His grandfather, Hafiz Syed Mohammed Isaac, a pupil of the renowned Syed Mir Hasan, Professor of Arabic at Scotch Mission School & Murray College, Sialkot, imparted to him, his first complete discourse (Dars) on translation and concepts of The Quran.

While a medical student in Lahore in the 70’s, Asarulislam formally studied The Quran at the Tolu-e-Islam Quranic Education Center in Lahore, Pakistan. He was a dedicated pupil of Pakistan’s renowned Quranic scholar and QuaideAzam’s Political Advisor, Baba Ghulam Ahmed Parvez . Working as a physician in Saudi Arabia for seven years allowed him the opportunity to learn the Arabic language and metaphor, and develop a deeper understanding of the cultural and social settings of the lands which gave The Quran.

His wife Nayla Asar Syed, M.D., a Child Psychiatrist, is a graduate from Fatima Jinnah Medical College and Kansas University Medical Center. Married for 33 years, they live on a farm in Southern California. They have four children.
Asarulislam is an Abdalian, a Kemcolian, and a Jayhawk.

Aisha Ghazi

Aisha graduated from the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London (SOAS) in 2002 and thereafter undertook the Bar Vocational Court at BPP Law School London and the Honourable Society of Lincoln’s Inn and was called to the Bar in October 2003. She then proceeded to complete the post graduate LLM degree from University College London, University of London (UCL) in Corporate and Commercial Law in September 2004 and thereafter worked in-house with a firm of solicitors in Middlesex, London before returning to Pakistan and joining Vellani & Vellani in May 2005. 

Since her return, Aisha has been involved in and had conduct of matters including general corporate and commercial transactional work including matters relating to finance and taxation, joint ventures, project financing, projects involving the grant and exploitation of government concessions, anti-trust, the setting up and operation of manufacturing facilities, banking and financing transactions, privatisation deals, mergers, acquisitions, foreign direct investment, incorporation of companies, public floatation and tender offers for listed securities, patent and copyright related work, general commercial and corporate litigation and certain arbitration matters. Such work has been conducted in the field of petroleum, natural gas, minerals, cement, steel, tobacco, edible oils, tea, shipping and trade, banking and finance, telecom and civil aviation, and coal washing and coal purification. She is enrolled as an advocate with the Sindh Bar Council and is a member of the Karachi Bar Council, the Honourable Society of Lincoln’s Inn, the International Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property Rights (AIPPI) and the Inter Pacific Bar Association (IPBA).

Faha Kamal

Aisam ul Haque’s fiancé-to-be, Faha Kamal, a resident of England, has recently acquired a masters degree in psychotherapy from the University of Greenwich, UK.

The couple got married on 17th December 2011 in Lahore.

Kamal’s father, Dr Muhammad Akmal Makhdum is the son of renowned educationist of Pakistan, professor Muhammad Ajmal, former secretary education, principal of Government College Lahore and vice chancellor Punjab University.

Sara Abbasi

Sara Abbasi is a philanthropist who has been committed to spreading access to education worldwide. Her charitable work on various boards is marked by a dedication to breaking down cultural barriers and enabling cross-cultural understanding. Ms. Abbasi serves on the Board of Developments in Literacy (DIL), an international nonprofit organization that is dedicated to the advancement of female literacy in remote areas of Pakistan. Since 1997, DIL has built 200 schools in Pakistan. In 2001, Ms. Abbasi was the driving force in establishing DIL?s San Francisco chapter.

Additionally, Ms. Abbasi serves on the board of The American Pakistan Foundation (APF), a nonprofit organization dedicated to expanding education, healthcare, micro-infrastructure and entrepreneurship opportunities to the under-privileged people of Pakistan. She serves on the board of One Nation, a national philanthropic initiative that promotes pluralism and inclusion in America; The World Affairs Council of Northern California; and Menlo School, an independent, accredited and coeducational college preparatory day school for students in grades 6?12.

In 2003, Ms. Abbasi and her husband, Sohaib Abbasi, endowed the Sohaib and Sara Abbasi Program in Islamic Studies at Stanford University, a key forum for interdisciplinary research and teaching in Islamic Studies on the west coast.

Dr Tariq Shahab

Dr.Tariq Shahab is a Vascular and Interventional Cardiologist.  He is Board Certified in Cardiovascular Diseases, Internal Medicine, and Interventional Cardiology.  He has also been elected a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology and American College of Internal Medicine.

His main interest is in fixing blockages inside coronary arteries without the need for coronary artery bypass surgery.  He believes most blockages can be successfully opened using the technique of angioplasty and stenting.  He has performed hundreds of procedures involving not only one artery but also three vessel or left main coronary artery disease.

Dr. Shahab is also experienced in putting stents in the carotid artery to prevent strokes in patients who have blockages in that important artery.  Presently, the only treatment for carotid artery disease is surgery.  Dr. Shahab has presented the results of carotid artery stenting from more than 600 patients at the annual meeting of the American College of Cardiology.

"Carotid Stenting will be the procedure of choice for carotid artery disease to prevent stroke in the near future." says Dr. Shahab.

Dr.Shahab graduated from Dow Medical College University of Karachi, Pakistan and then came to the United States for further training in cardiovascular diseases.  His Internal Medicine residency training was completed at the University of Michigan Medical Center.  He was awarded Outstanding Resident of the year Award at Michigan and was offered the position of Chief Medical Resident.  His cardiology fellowship training was at the University of Kentucky Medical Center.  He was then selected to be on the faculty at the University of Kentucky.  He is an elected fellow of the American College of Cardiology (FACC) and American College of Physician (FACP).  He is also a member of the American Medical Association and American Federation of Clinical Research.  Dr. Shahab was elected to the Board of Directors of the American Heart Association in Kentucky and he is Chairman and Founding Member of the Kentucky Health Educational Campaign.  In Kentucky, he started the School Health Educational Program and he was the Program Director of the International Symposium on Heart Disease, Cancer and Stroke, entitled: "A preventive Approach."

More recently, Dr. Shahab was selected to present a Poster Board and Interesting Case to the world wide annual CRT Meeting 2009 in Washington, DC. 

Dr. Shahab is among the most talented physicians in the Cardiology field.  It would be our pleasure to put his extensive experience to work for you.

Shahnawaz Agha

Mirza Shahnawaz Agha was born in August of 1950, into a family of imigrant traders, and was brought up in the former East Pakistan; He went to the first cadet college in the country then and post graduation in commerce studied Islamic Jurisprudence as an apprentice to Dr. Muhammad Said Al-Awadi from Jaddah, Saudi Arabia,; He has had a career in trade and industry from the age of 18 and heads a few enterprises today; To his credit are four books; “A rendezvous with Destiny”, “First Feelers”, “Decisive Edge” and “What is this thing called Religion for God sake” and many articles as a research scholar. He has been a active contributor to a reputed newspaper on political economy and social issues. A research scholar, he is very well traveled and exposed.

Shahzad Dada

Mr. Shazad G. Dada is a seasoned banker and a prominent capital market professional. His portfolio includes over 20 years of major national and international financial market experience. Being the CEO of Pakistan operations of Barclays Bank plc, he is presently overseeing all Barclays' businesses in Pakistan.

Mr. Dada is a graduate with honours from University of Pennsylvania with Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts degrees and also has an MBA from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.

Mr. Dada's banking career started with Bankers Trust, USA in 1990 which was later acquired by Deutsche Bank AG in 1999 where he worked extensively on corporate finance and mergers and acquisitions during his appointment as the Managing Director of Mergers, Acquisitions and Corporate Advisory group at Deutsche Bank Securities Inc in New York and as Head of Media M&A practice in the Americas. In 2005, he was assigned in Pakistan as Deutsche Bank's Chief Country Officer and Head of Global Banking.

He has been contributing towards the development of the Pakistani financial market and continues to do so as the Vice-Chairman of the Pakistan Banks' Association and Council Member and Chairperson - Finance Committee of The Institute of Bankers Pakistan.

The Board of Directors of KSE has appointed Mr. Dada as member of its Audit Committee and Human Resources Committee.

Mr. Shazad Dada actively contributes towards the community and plays his part as Chairperson of Developments in Literacy, as Director of Naya Jeevan and AIESEC. Besides, he is also associated with various reputed charitable organizations and causes.

Ahmed E. Hasham

Ahmed E. Hasham has been elected as director of Adamjee Insurance Company Limited in 2007. He is a graduate in International Relations (IR) and Economics from Tufts University, USA. He is an active contributor towards Social and Academic Services. He is a member on the board of Usman Institute of Technology, Unicol Limited, PMC (Pvt) Ltd. and Mehran Sugar Mills. In addition, he is also a member of the Executive Committee of the Pakistan Sugar Mills Association.

Ahmed Alman Aslam

Ahmed Alman Aslam Masters in Business Administration from Punjab University. 1975 Program for Management Development at Harvard University, Cambridge MA.1990 Over 32 years of banking and investment banking experience of which 28 with Citibank in Pakistan, Europe, Africa, and USA at various positions including Emerging Markets Corporate Finance Product Head for Citibank, and part of management team integrating Salomon Smith Barney with Citibank in Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East, Africa and India. In 2003 advisor to Emerging Markets Partners Washington (a $6 billion emerging markets private equity house) Director on the Board of State Bank of Pakistan in 2005. At present Managing Partner of Ahmad Alman Aslam & Associates. Holds board memberships of Oil & Gas Development Company Ltd. Private Power and Infrastructure Board, and IGI Asset Management Company.

Dr Gholam Mujtaba

Dr. Gholam Mujtaba, is a prominent politician of urban Sindh in Pakistan . He served as Advisor to Chief Minister Sindh, Pakistan (1992-94).He was the leader of the coalition party to the Sindh Government from 1992-94 . Dr. Mujtaba was a prominent student leader of Pakistan (1976-78). He was elected General Secretary of the Karachi University Students Union in 1976, and served as a member of the University Senate and Syndicate in 1976-78.He played a leading role in the Pakistan National Alliance Movement of 1977-78 as a student leader.

He was a close associate of the former President Pervez Musharraf during his last days in power. He had succeeded in striking a deal between the opposition and the President, but failed to dispense the covert under wrap.

Dr.Mujtaba is prominent amongst Pakistanis in the U.S. politics. He is a Member of the Chairman's Advisory Board of the Republican Party, the Republican National Committee of the United States. He is the Director of he Corona-Elmhurst Center for Economic Development where US Senator Charles Schumer and Assemblyman Jose Peralta are advisors and sponsors of the Center.

Professor Mujtaba is named to the United Who's Who Registry as an Honored Member. He is a distinguished alumni of King's College London, US Army Academy of Health Sciences, Fort Sam, Texas, the University of Karachi and Rajshahi Cadet College.