Pakistan has some unsung heroes who are appreciated as much as they should be. Photo: Reuters
There are plenty of problems in this country, yet somehow I always get the impression that the media outlets in Pakistan do tend to overemphasise the negative aspects over the positives. I am sure this statement would fetch many comments that can be classified as nefarious by any linguistic measure. But, please, do try to understand the point of all this.
The point is that the country is in transition- it is a volatile transition wherein we all must play a role to change the social standards and norms of Pakistan. In this blog post, I will go over a list of people of Pakistani descent, from diverse backgrounds, who are working diligently to promote a pro-Pakistan image abroad.
Their efforts combined with individual efforts from all of us would ultimately determine both the pace and the quality of the social change that we all so desire to manifest in Pakistan. I draw my inspiration from these people, I hope you do too.
Source: MIT
An Associate Professor of Science and Engineering at the Lahore University of Management Science (LUMS). Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has named him one of the top 35 innovators of the world (TR35). The list is compiled by MIT annually.
Source: Ourfutureworld.org
These two Pakistani women have been honoured by the White House for their humanitarian work. The Honour of Hope Award recipients manage a philanthropic venture called ‘Express Care’ which focuses on providing daily essentials, such as food and medicine, to low income individuals. The organisation also helps with employment.
Photo: Reuters
Ayesha is Pakistan’s first ever female war-ready fighter pilot. The 26-year-old fighter, hailing from Bahawalpur, is one of the 19 women who have achieved the ranks of pilots in the Pakistan Air Force over the last decade – there are five other female fighter pilots but they have yet to take the final tests to qualify for combat.
Source: Twitter
Acknowledged by the US President Barack Obama, Buzdar’s startup ‘Convo’ has successfully launched a social network for global organisations. His innovation has led to five million dollars in funding from venture capitalists in the US, including Morgenthaler Ventures which has significant holdings in tech giants such as Apple.
Buzdar is a graduate of Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute (GIKI) of Engineering Sciences and Technology.
Source: Harvard.edu
He is the first professor of Pakistani descent that has been hired by the prestigious Harvard University’s John F Kennedy School of Government. His research has received coverage from numerous media outlets including The Economist, New York Times, Washington Post, International Herald Tribune, Aljazeera, CNN and BBC.
Photo: AFP
A Pakistani-born mayor of a town called Paris, in Texas, USA.
What’s his claim to fame?
He has successfully created a community and inculcated a pro-Pakistani image in the Southern state that has been a hotbed of anti-Pakistan sentiments, especially during the tenure of President George W Bush Jr. He is an accomplished cardiologist and continues to run his practice as well.
Photo: AFP
He is most notably famous for setting a record of acing 23 subjects in the Cambridge O-Level examinations. He is also the recipient of Pride of Performance award and his contributions to the field of education are immense. He continues to work tirelessly and has founded an organisation called ‘StepUP Pakistan’, where they aim to train teachers and improve education in the impoverished areas of the country; a noble effort by an equally noble youngster.
He truly deserves a standing ovation.
Photo: FILE
A visual artist and the recipient of the 2013 Prince Claus award. The Prince Claus award deliberates the honour to those individuals whose efforts have a positive impact in their respective societies. The fact that she is a Pakistani is indeed an honour for all of us.
She has successfully managed to promote a positive image of Pakistan with her work for all in the world to see.
Photo: FILE
Karamat is the Executive Director of The Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research (PILER). He is the recipient of South Asia Peace and Justice Award in India.
Source: Vimeo
She is the Founder and CEO of Popinjay, a social enterprise that empowers marginalised underprivileged girls in Pakistan with education and provides them with employment opportunities by selling their goods (embroidered handbags currently) to a high-end market.
11. Syed Fahad Ali
The Founder of the Aghaz School. This school is a non-political and independent organisation focusing on providing free education to underprivileged children living in the slums of Karachi. This is also a side project of the Pakistan Youth Forum.
Photo: AFP
Gul started playing chess at the early age of six. She is now 13-year-old and is creating a pro-Pakistan image by being an internationally acclaimed chess player.
Photo: FILE
At 23 years of age and hailing from Balochistan, the young gentleman is the 2013 Rhodes Scholar for Pakistan. The Rhodes scholarship is awarded to one Pakistani annually to study at Oxford University, UK. Hailing from one of the most volatile regions in the world, securing such a prestigious scholarship is a testament to this gentleman’s dedication and sincerity. Indeed, he will go on to earn massive accolades globally and, in the process, create a better image of Pakistan on a global stage.
I wish him the best of success in all his endeavours.
Photo: FILE
Maria, born in South Waziristan, is a professional squash player who has won international acclaims for Pakistan. She is currently ranked 54th in the world rank. She is a prolific speaker against extremism in society and has spoken at events such as TedxTeen.
Source:Dutchedu
A recipient of the ECHO Awards in 2008; the ECHO Awards recognise the contribution of immigrants of ‘non-western’ descent on the basis of their talent in higher education. Mirza received a scholarship for a summer course at the University of California, Los Angeles, where he chose to study English and Public Policy.
Photo: AFP
Salim is the first Pakistani to travel into space. She has officially been recognised as the ‘First Pakistani Astronaut’ by the government of Pakistan in 2006. She is also a peace activist and was conferred with Tamgha-e-Imtiaz in 2011.
Source: CNN
He is the co-founder and CEO of Eyedeus Labs; a tech start-up by Pakistani students that developed a mobile application so innovative that it was even featured on CNN and other global media.
Source: Calagary.edu
Dr Syed is a globally acclaimed scientist of Pakistani origin and head of the Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy at the University of Calgary’s Hotchkiss Brain Institute in Canada. He is the first scientist to ‘connect brain cells to a silicon chip’. This is indeed a great honour for Pakistan.
Connecting brain cells to electronic chips opens up the potential to take artificial intelligence computing to the next stage and Dr Syed plays a leading role in this quest.
Photo: Shafiq Malik
Abbat, originally from the Hazara division, is the winner of the National Cycling Championship. She is an emerging talent and her skills have been recognised nationally. She hopes to foster change and represent Pakistan in the South Asian games next year. She is an inspiration to all the young women out there who want to pursue their goals and, in the process, bring about positive change in the society.
Photo: AFP
Tariq has been an inspiration for people with physical disabilities. He is a motivational speaker and a corporate evangelist. He represented Pakistan in the ING New York City Marathon in 2005 and finished with a medal. Sarmad hopes to bring about positive change in the attitude of Pakistanis all over with his life coaching talks on various platforms.
Source: Newsline
Khan is Pakistan’s first female master scuba diver and the only Nitrox diving instructor in Pakistan. She aims to introduce positive social changes with her efforts.
Photo: FILE
Saeed, the owner of Khana Ghar, started her business to provide hot meals for three rupees to low income individuals. It has become a lifeline for hundreds of poor men and women who are unable to make ends meet.
The motivated people of Pakistan achieved what the government failed to deliver. This is precisely why I keep on insisting that it is crucial to look at Pakistan beyond how the media portrays it. The civil society in Pakistan is working tirelessly to enrich the lives of Pakistanis and improve society. With such people in our midst, the only way Project Pakistan can fail is if we let it.
Hats off to Ms Parveen Saeed for such an honourable venture.
23. Sameen Shahid
Shahid is a recipient of the OFID scholarship of 2009 to study at Harvard University’s John F Kennedy School of Government. The Public Administration degree that she pursues can help redefine the values and customs of governance for the Pakistan of the future.
Photo: FILE
Ali is an Oscar winner movie visual effects curator. He has given life to characters such as Venom in Spider Man 3 as well as several other Hollywood flicks such as X-Men, The Mummy. He won an Oscar for Best Visual Effects in 2007 for the movie The Golden Compass.
Source: Business Insider
Ali is an entrepreneur and founder of an online shoe store called Hometown Shoes, where they sell locally manufactured leather shoes and accessories.
Photo: FILE
Maqsood is a student of Crossing Border Global Studies in Denmark and is also a certified trainer of the School of Leadership (SOL), Karachi. He has represented Pakistan as its youth ambassador on various platforms and is keen to bring about positive social change.
