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)

Sangeeta

Famous Pakistani film actor, film-maker and drama director Sangeeta was born as Perveen Rizvi on 14th June 1947 at Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. She has starred in huge number of hit movies like Society Girl and Mutti Bhar Chawal. Her directorial dramas include Pakvilla. Her first film was by Rehman, when he exposed her talent he given her a part of his film Kanghan. Sangeeta started her career in the film “Kankgan” in 1969 then began appearing in Lollywood Pakistani films. In the year 1969, Sangeeta also worked as a child star in the film Koh-e-Noor. Sangeeta directed her debute film in 1979, Society Girl. Her second film as director was Mujhay galay laga lo. 

She also directed the film Zeherilay. Sangeeta also appeared on Nachley season 2 as a guest judge. Nowadays she is working on TV dramas as well. She has been awarded several times Nigar Award for best actress, basr supporting actress and best director for her films. She is considered to be one of the best film actresses and now film directors of Pakistan.

Report an Error

Bushra Rehman

Bushra Rehman is a writer , Politician ,columnist and author . She was born in August 28, 1946  at Bahawalpur. She is Member of National Assembly of Pakistan Muslim league on reserved seats for women .
She is author of many Novels .She is very popular writer in young generation of Pakistan.She is author of around 25 collections of short stories, novels, travelogues, and as newspaper columnist.

Report an Error

Zia Mohyeddin

Zia Mohyeddin was born in Lyallpur (now Faisalabad) into a family of scholars and aesthetes. He took off for Australia after his degree in philosphy from where his fame started. He went on to the famed Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in 1953 and soon began a successful career on the boards.

Mr Mohyeddin starred in Eugene O’Neill’s Long Day’s Journey Into Night, Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar and made his West End debut playing Dr Aziz in EM Forster’s Passage to India. Mr Mohyeddin was a smash on Broadway, too. Stints on the BBC and ITV followed. At the peak of his career, he decided to move back home.

He returned to Pakistan in the 1960s, hosting the Zia Mohyeddin show on PTV. He set up the PIA Arts and Dance Academy the following decade. The arts academy toured the world and performed at the Madison Square Garden and for Queen Elizabeth II. When Gen Ziaul Haq effectively banned the arts in the 1980s, He once again, left for London.

In February 2005 he was invited by  President Pervez Musharraf  to act as Chairman of the new National Academy of Performing Arts in Karachi.

Muneeb Farooq

Muneeb Farooq is a renowned Host/Anchor person of Geo News and currently hosting a current affair programme “Aapas Ki Baat” with well-known media person.journalist/editor Najam Sethi. He is a talented anchor/host of Geo News. Muneeb Farooq appears with Najam Sethi on Geo News popular talk show/current affair program “Aapas Ki Baat” in which he discusses current issues and most latest political news from Pakistan and all around the world. His way of talking and deliberating news and political issues with Najam Sethi has made Muneeb unmatched with other anchor/host.

Salman Faruqui

Mr. Salman Faruqui, NI has rendered exemplary service to the people of Pakistan through his nearly 50 years dedicated public service and major initiatives in the fields of human rights and economic development.

Mr. Faruqui, has taken oath as Wafaqi Mohtasib (Ombudsman) of Pakistan on 11th December, 2012. He is also serving as Secretary General to the President (with the status of Federal Minister) and has earlier served as Deputy Chairman Planning Commission of Pakistan, Ambassador-at-Large in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Secretary General to the Government of Pakistan (elevated in 1993). He headed various Ministries in the Federal Government, including Ministry of Communications (including present Ministries of Ports & Shipping, Information Technology and Telecommunication and Postal Services), Ministry of Food, Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, Ministry of Environment and Urban Affairs, Ministry of Water and Power and Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development and Ministry of Commerce (including the present Ministry of Textile). He also headed Special Education and Social Welfare Division and served in the Ministry of Industries.

Mr. Faruqui served as Secretary to Prime Minister Mohtrama Benazir Bhutto, and as Additional Secretary to Prime Minister Muhammad Khan Junejo.

Mr. Faruqui served as Secretary to the Provincial Government for more than a decade, and also headed (as Chairman or/and Chief Executive Officer) several public enterprises including as the first Chairman/CEO of Pakistan Telecommunications Corporation Ltd., National Highways Authority, Pakistan Postal Services Corporation and Sindh Sugar Corporation, and as the first Director General of Special Education and Chairman of the Trust for the Disabled. He also served as Chairman of NESPAK, National Power Construction Corporation, PEPAC etc. He was one of the founders of Private Power and Infrastructure Board and Pakistan Software Export Board.

Mr. Faruqui revolutionized telecommunication sector and introduced optic fiber, digital phones (through highly acclaimed BLT system) and mobile phones in Pakistan. He also initiated international direct dialing for all telephone subscribers. He initiated Peshawar to Karachi Indus Highway and implemented dualization of large sections of GT Road (N-5) and the first ever Motorway in Pakistan (M-2). In the Water & Power Sector, he initiated Ghazi Brotha project (the first hydel project after Tarbela Dam) and also implemented the renowned 1994 IPP policy which for the first time introduced private sector in power sector and eliminated outrages throughout Pakistan. In the field of Human Rights, Mr. Faruqui started scores of Model Special Education Centres throughout the country for all disabilities. He successfully implemented ban on human plied cycle rickshaws throughout the country. He also launched the experimental green channel system at Karachi Airport and initiated schemes of Dry Ports and Export Processing Zones. Mr. Faruqui also completed mini Port at Gwadar and initiated scheme for deep seaport project there. He introduced private sector in the Ports and Shipping sectors and added Terminals for Container Traffic at both the Ports in Karachi and initiated and completed exclusive Oil and Export Terminals. In the field of Economic Development, he was a key member of the government?s economic teams for a decade during which he contributed substantially towards sustainable economic development.

Mr. Faruqui has a law degree and a postgraduate degree in Political Science and International Relations. He also has a postgraduate degree in Public Administration from the University of Southern California. He is member of Board of Governor, International Islamic University, Islamabad. He is also Member of the Syndicate Sindh Madressatul Islam University. He is a member of the Syndicate of Quaid-e-Azam University in Islamabad, and earlier served as a member of the University of Karachi Syndicate. 

The Government of Pakistan has conferred the highest award of Nishan-i-Imtiaz for Mr. Faruquis lifelong dedication and selfless devotion in Public Service.

Nigar Ahmad

Ms. Nigar Ahmad has worked tirelessly for nearly 25 years for the empowerment of Pakistani women, as Executive Director of the Aurat Publication and Information Service Foundation. Under her stewardship, the Aurat (woman) Foundation has taken up a range of causes, from mobilizing women candidates for national and local government elections to generating debate across the country about women’s political and economic empowerment and issues relating to peace and democracy.

An academic and a social activist, she was a brilliant student who came top of her Masters of Economics year in Punjab University and went on to study economics at Cambridge University. She was also a Commonwealth Scholar. While pursuing a career in academia she taught economics for 16 years at the faculty of the Quaid-e-Azam University in Islamabad and was drawn into the struggle of Pakistani women against the anti-women policies of the military dictatorship headed by Zia-ul-Haq.

She was a member of the Women’s Action Forum for two years (1983–1985) before founding Aurat Foundation together with Shahla Zia. Nigar has researched the work of women in the informal sector, and organized national conferences for peasant women, as well as radio programmes to educate them on health and agricultural issues. She campaigned for the need to generate correct information on women’s work during the fifth National Census in 1998.

Nigar has contributed to shaping policy debates on women’s empowerment through her close involvement with bodies such as the National Commission on the Status of Women. She was a co-author of the report on Women’s Development Programmes for Pakistan’s Eighth Five Year Plan, and played a similar role with respect to the Sixth Five Year Plan. 

She was one of the 1000 women proposed for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2005. She is a nominee from Pakistan of the Global Sisterhood Network. As researcher, Nigar has extensively investigated the situation of grassroots women in Pakistan. She has also researched tenant-landlord struggles in Pakistan and co-authored a study on the life of rural women in Punjab.

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.

Laiba Yousafzai

Ms Laiba Yousafzai has M.A Journalism and MA English Literature & Language from University of Peshawar.  She has an extensive background of print and electronic media where she worked as Programme Director, producer, scriptwriter and anchor with different National and International TV Channels  including  Current Affairs, Parliamentary News, Khost based local TV namely Ghorghst TV, Zuban-e-Khalq and Nan Saba on PTV Channels.  During this period, she continued to produce and directed about 350 programmes on various subject like social issues, literature, political and social discussion. More significantly, she has presented documentaries on Kalash and Ghandara Civilization in three languages i.e. Urdu, Pushtu and English. While working for Community Infrastructure Project( CIP) she was engaged in  13 documentaries. She has also worked for Radio Pakistan,  Radio Mashal, Free Europe, Pushtu Radio “ Buraq” and also worked with BBC during Floods in Pakistan as an anchor and editor.

Aftab Anwar Baloch

Mr. Aftab Anwar Baloch an officer of Pakistan Customs Service belongs to Seventh Common Training Programme.  He joined service of Government of Pakistan during  1980 and possesses 32 years of rich experience both in formulation and implementation of fiscal policy relating to levy  charge and collection of Federal Taxes i.e. Customs Duty, Sales Tax, Federal Excise Duty etc.

He belongs to Sindh Province and has served on various positions throughout Pakistan under the  Federal Board of Revenue.  He has also served as Minister (Trade) in the Embassy of Pakistan, Moscow (Russian Federation) during 2005 to 2008 with accreditation to Belarus.

He has extensively travelled abroad and has been instrumental  in the compilation of WHO Technical Manual on Tobacco Tax Administration published by World Health Organization and has attended various meetings/seminars  in Saudi Arabia, Switzerland, America on Tobacco Taxation and FCTC besides attending Seminar on Revised Kyoto Convention in Maldives under World Custom  Organization and  Course on Tax Administration in USA.

He also possesses research experience in introduction of Sales Tax under  VAT Mode and Tobacco Taxation  Joint Research Study Project under  FBR-WHO Collaboration.

At present he is working as Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Finance looking after Internal Finance and Investment Wing.

Shayan Anique Akhtar

Shayan Anique Akhtar, a student from Haveli, Okara, has set a new world record by scoring 998 marks out of total 1,000 in a Microsoft Professional Certificate programme.

Shayan a Student of Computer Science and Youngest Microsoft Certified Professional Record Holder. He is a Microsoft Certified Professional Developer and Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist. He is  passionate about technology. He loves Contributing in Microsoft Open Source Projects and .NET and Windows Phone Geek. 

Nadeem Farooq Paracha

Nadeem Farooq Paracha, well known journalist, cultural critic and satirist, Nadeem F. Paracha (aka NFP) wrote and worked for The News International (Instep) between 1993 and 2005. He now writes for Dawn (Dawn Images and Dawn Magazine) and Indian Express. He has also written a novelette, Acidity, and co-hosted AAJ TV’s political satire show, News, Views & Confused with Fasi Zaka (2005-09).

Born in Karachi. Left-wing student activist in the mid & late ’80s.
Arrested twice by General Zia’s right-wing dictatorship for “anti-state activities.” Took out Pakistan’s first ever “underground” anarchist newsletter, The Arousal, before joining Pakistan’s largest English weekly, MAG in 1990.
Joined The News, Karachi as editor of the paper’s popular-culture page, Instep, and columnist.

Currently writing a regular column for Dawn Newspaper (Smokers Corner), Dawn.Com (Cafe Black) and one for Indian Express. Has also contributed articles to The Friday Times. – picked from Dawn.Com

Quick Facts

Birth: 6th Feb, 1967, Karachi.

Education: O Level from Karachi Grammar School (1983); B-Com from Saint Patricks Govt. College, Karachi (1984-87); MA Political Science from University of Karachi (1988-89).

Political Career: Vice-President of Peoples Students Federation (student wing of Pakistan Peoples Party) at St. Pat’s Govt. College (1985-86); General Secretary of St. Pats Socialist Students Federation (1987); Information Secretary of National Students Federation at University of Karachi in 1988; One of the founding members of The News Employees Union at The News, Karachi (1993).

Journalistic Career: Feature writer at Weekly Mag (1991-93); Senior Feature writer/Reporter and then editor of The News’ cultural pages (Instept) at the The News (1993-99); Senior Columnist at Dawn Newspaper and Dawn.Com (2005-present); Contributing columnist for Indian Express and Deccan Chronicals (India).

Political Views: Was a staunch pro-Soviet Marxist during college and university. Has been a supporter of the PPP since 1980s, but has also been a strong advocate of alliances between PPP, MQM and ANP. After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, NFP became a strong advocate of left-liberal ideologies and of working towards a strong secular culture and politics in Pakistan. - Info compliled from various NFP interviews and articles written on him on assorted websites.     
 

Munawar Ali Rind

Munawar Ali Rind is  Islamabad-based Entrepreneur, Youth Activist and the vibrant secular young person who has achieved tremendous success in his young life of 23. Born at Village Digu Farm of Umerkot District on 17th October 1988, He completed his Matriculation from Umerkot  and intermediate from Hyderabad. Later he joined SZABIST Karachi and currently studying BBA at SZABIST-Islamabad. He is  passionate youth aspiring to be self-employed and develop quality institutions for the coming and this new young generation, to which he himself belong, too. He have  contributed for the mobilization and empowerment of the youth of Pakistan from grass-root to policy-making levels both nationally and internationally.
During May, 2009, Munawar founded a nation-wide youth network named Participatory Youth Development Network (PYDN) at Karachi and then founded SGA-Youth Club at Islamabad. Given his enterprising nature,he initiated the business ventures with brand name of PARADISE Lodging Services (PLS) at Islamabad which is a name for the quality lodging facilities at major cities of Pakistan. he have  closely worked with international organizations and facilitated them in Pakistan.I am good of secular, democratic and liberal voices & inter-faith harmony in Pakistan with strong opposition to orthodoxy and  conservative approaches of the society.

Amir Zia

Amir Zia has worked for some of the leading national and international media organizations in a journalistic career spanning more than 20 years. He writes mainly on Pakistan economy, politics and extremism. Currently, Zia is associated with one of Pakistan's leading English-language newspaper, The News, as Business Editor. Before joining The News in March 2010, he served as Director News & Current Affairs of Urdu-language private news channel SAMAA. 

He has also worked for The Associated Press of America, Reuters and monthly magazine, Newsline. He had also been the Karachi Correspondent of Gulf News. Zia headed the Public Relations Department of Pakistan Petroleum Ltd (PPL) and served as the Editor of its corporate magazine “Progress.” Zia has received two APNS Awards for best stories on economy and general news in 1997. He was elected secretary of the Karachi Press Club in mid-1990s. Born in Karachi, Zia got early education from Nasra Secondary School. He obtained a Masters' degree in English Literature from the University of Karachi in 1990.

Imran Naeem Ahmad

Imran Naeem Ahmad is a senior journalist and the Founding Editor of JournalismPakistan.com. He has extensive experience in journalism having worked for several English dailies in the country and abroad during a career spanning 27 years.

The newspapers he has served full-time include The Muslim, Gulf News, The News, Dawn and Daily Times while he has also been a stringer for the Saudi Gazette.

Imran, 48, has worked in various editorial positions in an eventful career. His writing skills have been termed "sharp and stimulating" by his editors while his editing abilities are seen as second to none.

He has traveled extensively abroad and within Pakistan to cover major events and has worked as a consultant with a string of organizations like the United Nations World Food Program, American Red Cross, ActionAid Pakistan and the China Electronics Technology Group.

Starting his career as a junior proofreader at The Muslim in 1984, Imran soon got promoted as a sub-editor. After a stint that lasted five and a half years, he moved to Dubai in 1989 to work for Gulf News before returning home two years later to join The News days after the paper’s formal launch.

His stay at The News that lasted a full decade saw him work in different editorial positions. He also got elected as the president of the paper’s workers’ union. As the Sports Editor, he founded the Rawalpindi-Islamabad Sports Journalists Association (RISJA) in 1991 and worked actively for the rights of sports writers.

When Dawn began publishing from Islamabad in 2001, Imran made the switch. His association with the newspaper stretched five and a half years before he joined Daily Times as the Chief City Reporter in 2006.

He later worked as a Communication Specialist with the Competitiveness Support Fund, a joint initiative of the USAID and the Pakistan Ministry of Finance for a year and a half before moving to Dateline Islamabad where he worked as a City Editor for well over a year.

Imran is now associated with the Free and Fair Election Network where he is a Senior Editor.

During his career, he has worked closely with revered editors - Khawaja Asif, Ahmed Hasan and Khalid Akhtar (late), Dr Maleeha Lodhi, Mushahid Hussain Syed, Salim Bokhari, M. Ziauddin, Hasan Musanna and Rehan Siddiqui.

Mehwish Siddique

Mehwish Siddique born in Karachi, started her career as a theatre artist. She has a degree in acting from the National Academy of Performing Arts and she has a bachelors degree in Psychology. She started her career in 2008 as a TV actress. Her acnhoring career started in January 2001. Her interests include reading and acting.

Mehwish Siddique will be anchoring “Awam ki Awaz” which will be aired every Friday at 22:03pm – 23:00pm at SAMAA tv.