Pakistani Achievers - At Home & Abroad

[HRK]

@ghazi52 @_NOBODY_ @HRK

thnx for this share its something new for me, i was not aware about this

 

[ghazi52]

Joe Biden appoints Pakistani-born lawyer Khizr Khan to US commission on religious freedom

APP | Dawn.com
July 31, 2021

Khizr Khan with his wife on the final day of the Democratic convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US on July 28, 2016. — AFP/File

US President Joe Biden has appointed Pakistani-American lawyer Khizr Khan — also a critic of ex-president Donald Trump and the father of a soldier slain in Baghdad — as the commissioner for the US Commission on International Religious Freedom, according to a statement released from the White House.

The announcement is one of four such appointments and nominations, with the White House website saying that it "underscores the President’s commitment to build an Administration that looks like America and reflects people of all faiths".

Apart from Khan, Sharon Kleinbaum was appointed the commissioner of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, whereas Deborah Lipstadt was nominated for the post of special envoy to monitor and combat anti-semitism and Rashad Hussain as ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom.

The Office of International Religious Freedom said it "welcomed" the appointment. "We look forward to collaborating with them to advance religious freedom for all," it tweeted.

Khan, 71, is a Pakistan-born lawyer who criticised Trump for his disparaging remarks against American Muslims during the 2016 Democratic National Convention (DNC).

Khan’s son, Humayun Khan, was a US Army captain killed in 2004 while serving in Iraq. He is buried at Arlington cemetery, Virginia and was posthumously awarded top military medals — Bronze Star and Purple Heart.

Khan gave a passionate speech at the 2016 convention, along with his wife, Ghazala, in which he questioned whether Trump, then the Republican presidential nominee, had ever read the US Constitution. He pulled his own copy out of his pocket for emphasis — and said Trump had “sacrificed nothing and no one”.

After that, Trump frequently lashed out at the Khans, which they shrugged off as “proof of his ignorance and arrogance”. At one point Trump suggested that Ghazala did not speak during the DNC because of her Muslim faith.

After his speech, Khan was featured in campaign ads for Hillary Clinton, the Democratic Party’s presidential nominee, and his family’s story became a regular feature in her campaign speeches.

Khan, who was born in Gujranwala, works as a lawyer and also founded the Constitution Literacy and National Unity Project.

He immigrated to the US in 1980 and studied at Harvard Law School where he obtained his LLM (Master of Law) degree, according to the statement.

"He is licensed to practice law before the Supreme Court of the United States, various federal district courts, and Washington, DC and New York State courts.

"In his law practice, he devotes a substantial amount of his time to providing legal services to veterans, men and women serving in uniform, and their families," the statement reads.

Khan is the sixth Pakistani-American to join the Biden team since he entered the White House as the 46th US president on Jan 20. Biden, last month, inducted Lina Khan into his team as a top federal regulator to head the Federal Trade Commission.

He also previously nominated another Pakistani-American, Dilawar Syed, to serve as the deputy administrator of the Small Business Administration in March.

Before that, Biden had inducted Pakistani-American Salman Ahmed into his foreign policy team to serve as director policy planning at the US State Department. This was the second such induction of a Pakistani American in Biden's team.

The US president also chose a Pakistani-born climate expert, Ali Zaidi, to serve as his Deputy National Climate Adviser in December. The appointment had made Zaidi the highest ranking Pakistani-American in the Biden administration.

 

[Shahzaz ud din]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1423490153545445377

 

[ghazi52]

Justice Ayesha Malik expected to become first female Supreme Court judge


People are celebrating her elevation as the first step towards a more inclusive apex court.

Justice Ayesha A Malik is expected to become the first woman judge to be elevated to the Supreme Court and people across Pakistan are celebrating.

She has been nominated by Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed and will be elevated to the apex court when the Judicial Commission of Pakistan meets on September 9.

If elevated to the apex court, she will remain judge of the Supreme Court until March 2031. The current sanctioned strength of the court is complete with 17 judges so Justice Malik will fill the vacant when Justice Mushir Alam reaches superannuation on August 17.

News of her elevation had many Twitter users celebrating. Many rejoiced that there would finally be a woman judge on the Supreme Court roster and said Justice Malik was smashing glass ceilings.

The news was also met with congratulations for all women.

Many called it a proud moment.

 

[Shahzaz ud din]

Pakistan's scrabble prodigy Syed Imaad Ali wins world youth title in Karachi
Abdul GhaffarPublished August 22, 2021 - Updated about 5 hours ago
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Syed Imaad Ali — Photo courtesy Irshad Ali Twitter

Syed Imaad Ali holds the trophy after winning the World English Scrabble Players Association Youth Cup in Karachi. — Photo courtesy Quetta Gladiators Twitter

Syed Imaad Ali — Photo courtesy Irshad Ali Twitter

Syed Imaad Ali holds the trophy after winning the World English Scrabble Players Association Youth Cup in Karachi. — Photo courtesy Quetta Gladiators Twitter

Syed Imaad Ali — Photo courtesy Irshad Ali Twitter

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Syed Imaad Ali bagged the World English Scrabble Players Association (WESPA) Youth Cup (formerly known as the World Youth Scrabble Championship) in the final in Karachi on Sunday.
The 15-year-old talent defeated his opponent in nine out of 13 games in Sunday's finals as Pakistan finished first in the tournament, with Hasham Hadi Khan — another Pakistani to qualify for the final with 26 wins — coming in fourth after winning in seven games.
Ali opened up an early lead in the tournament and had soared to the top position with 11 wins and one tie by the completion of the first 12 rounds.
After today's feat, he is now the first and only scrabble player to win the World Youth title twice. He previously won the 2018 championship in Dubai, clinched the Junior World Scrabble Championship in Torquay, England, in November 2019, and was also the youngest player to do so.
Two more Pakistani players — Ali Salman and Usman Shaukat — remained in the top ten till the last round of the championship's group stage but were unlucky to miss out narrowly after losing their last games.
Pakistan was awarded the rights to hold the WESPA Youth Cup for the second year running.
The championship has been played annually since 2006 in different parts of the world but could not be played after 2019 due to the pandemic outbreak.
Pakistan had offered to host the 2020 edition online for the first time to make sure every that player was monitored and the games were played as fairly as before.
WESPA granted the hosting rights to Pakistan and the first-ever virtual championship was played in 2020.

 

[ghazi52]

With Dr. Rizvi

 

[ghazi52]

Pakistan Permanent Representative to UN

@PakistanPR_UN
· Sep 25

I congratulate Saima Saleem, my team member, for successfully putting forward Pakistan's position by exercising right of reply. She spoke using Braille for the first time from UNGA hall. #SaimaSaleem #UNGA

 

[ghazi52]

The sedulous Saima Saleem: Pakistan's first visually impaired diplomat

Visually impaired Saima Saleem makes Pakistan proud by giving a befitting response to India at the UNGA


Social Desk/Tehreem M Alam
September 26, 2021

Pakistan's visually-challenged diplomat Saima Saleem responding to India at UNGA.

Pakistan's first visually-impaired UN delegate Saima Saleem is being praised for her fiery speech at the 76th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Saturday in which she stated that it is India that endorses terrorism in the occupied territory of Kashmir in a response to an Indian diplomat's allegations against Pakistan.


The first differently-abled female Pakistani diplomat, Saima Saleem was born on August 10, 1984. In her early years, she was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa - an incurable eye disease that made Saleem blind at the age of 13.

According to sources, when Saleem applied for CSS, she requested the Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC) to conduct a computer-based exam for her. However, the FPSC refused to conduct a computer exam because they were always conducted on paper. Saleem pursued her case by quoting the ordinance passed in 2005. The press release issued in this regard said the government will facilitate candidates with visual impairment and they will be allowed to take exams on the computer.

She became the first blind Civil Servant of Pakistan.

Today, Saleem is a motivational speaker and a writer. She has expertise in international human rights and international humanitarian law, public and economic diplomacy.

Saleem is a strong advocate of global peace and interfaith harmony.

Wearing the colours of Pakistan's flag and reading from braille, Saleem's fervent speech came as a response to Indian delegate Sneha Dubey's extrapolations about Pakistan's involvement in terrorism in the occupied Himalayan territory.

India's Dubey said Pakistan plays the 'victim' of terrorism and spoke at length about Pakistan's link to terrorism by claiming it provided a safe haven to the al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden and maintains the status quo by state-sponsored suppression of the minorities in Pakistan.

To which, Saleem said, "India remains in occupation of an internationally recognised disputed territory whose final disposition needs to be decided in accordance with the democratic principle of a free and impartial plebiscite under UN auspices, as provided for under numerous resolutions of the Security Council."
Saleem expanded on her response by shedding light on four different types of terrorism India was responsible for. She spoke at length about 'state terrorism' to suppress Kashmiris in the occupied valley; she spoke about India funding terrorist organisations such as Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and highlighted the Doval doctrine and India's covert operations against Pakistan.

She mentioned the capture of Indian spy Kulbushan Jadhav and how India had financed mercenary terrorist organisations against Pakistan and concluded her response by bringing to attention India's supremacist ideology of promoting Islamophobia.
She also asked the UN to hold India accountable for its crimes against humanity.

Following this, Saleem garnered praise the world over for her courage and for using braille for the first time at the UNGA.

 

[Shahzaz ud din]

Who knew, there'd be Pakistanis running a hotel empire in Wyoming, America.

 

[Shahzaz ud din]

Rocket Women NASA Engineer Hibah Rahmani was born in Pakistan.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1445977297224339463

 

[ghazi52]

October 17 ; Death anniversary of Hakeem Muhammad Saeed

Hakeem Muhammad Saeed was a medical researcher, scholar, philanthropist, and a Governor of Sindh from 1993 until 1996. He was one of Pakistan's most prominent medical researchers in the field of Eastern medicines.

 

[Shahzaz ud din]

How He build 500 Branches in 5 Years? | Mind Blowing Business Lessons | Trax Founder

 

[ghazi52]

 

[ghazi52]

Ardeshir Cowasjee

Born into a wealthy Parsi family on April 13, 1926, Ardeshir Cowasjee remained one of the most read and influential columnists in Pakistan for almost three decades. Ardeshir Cowasjee joined his family shipping business after completing his education from the Bai Virbaiji Soparivala Parsi (BVS) High School and DJ Sindh Govt Science College. In 1953, he married a young doctor Nancy Dinshaw. The couple had two children, a girl Ava and boy Rustom. However, Nancy passed away in 1992.

Adreshir Cowasjee wrote for an English language daily, his words reached and echoed in the most significant corners and corridors of power. And when in 2011 Cowasjee stopped writing his weekly columns, his readers from all around the world sent in requests for him to change his mind.

In addition to his columns, Cowasjee was also known as a successful businessman, social activist, and an active philanthropist.
The Cowasjee Foundation has been responsible for providing funding for the higher education of many Pakistani students. One of The Citizens Foundation’s biggest campuses is the Cowasjee Campus in Lyari. Many of Karachi’s hospitals such as the Lady Dufferin Hospital, Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation and the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases are some of the beneficiaries of the foundation.

In 1972, Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto appointed him as the Managing Director of the Pakistan Tourism Development Board (PTDB). The next big post that came his way was chairman of the Port Qasim Authority.

He remained a firm supporter of Jinnah and a strong proponent of his ideology. He passed away on November 24, 2012 at the age of 86.

 

[ghazi52]

Remembering Ardeshir Cowasjee

Like his hero Jinnah, Cowasjee set the bar high, perhaps a little too high for most of his countrymen.

Usman Hayat

His criticism of the powerful was fearless and irreverent, and his readers loved it. Zulfiqar Bhutto was “megalomaniac”, Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif “corrupt to the core” and Altaf Hussain “the Pir of Edgware”. And these are only a sample of the words he used to describe them. On camera, he would go even further in ridiculing those who ruled Pakistan. He offered a very different take on the rulers compared to the biographers and other commentators.

It has been nine years since the death of death of Ardeshir Cowasjee on November 24, 2012 but his DAWN columns and acts of philanthropy live on.

The person he praised plentifully and consistently was Muhammad Ali Jinnah, who also happened to be a family friend: “He was the sole statesman this country has had. Those who followed were small men, narrow of thought... Within a quarter of a century, half of Jinnah’s Pakistan was lost... It is now an overpopulated, illiterate, bankrupt country…”

Born in 1926, Cowasjee lived 86 years, which enabled him to observe the birth of Pakistan and its sustained decay. Someone wanting to go through the events and mood in Pakistan’s chaotic politics would do well to read Vintage Cowasjee: A Selection of Writings From Dawn, 1984-2011 or go through his archived columns. What you read would run chills down your spine because you will find that history is repeating itself in Pakistan at short intervals. He will make you realise that there are far too many characters and events in Pakistan’s history that seem tragically similar and it is foolish to hope for a different outcome from the same experiment.

Cowasjee was a Zoroastrian or Parsi as they are known in Pakistan, a tiny and dwindling Karachi-centered minority of what now likely comprises barely a thousand people. He was small in size but towered above his fellow writers in religiously conservative Pakistan. He was erudite but stayed glued to reality. His ideas were simple and far from academic: law and order and education were his long running priorities for Pakistan.

In Persian, one meaning of the name Ardeshir is courageous — his name was befitting. Telling it like it is, he shunned hypocrisy, which probably surpasses cricket as the country’s most popular sport.

His columns were in English, which greatly reduced his reach in a country where many struggle to read and write even in the national language, Urdu. But he was a widely followed writer among the educated, including the judiciary, the bureaucracy and Pakistanis abroad.

His readers waited for his weekly Sunday column in Dawn where they received a reality check amidst the latest wave of political propaganda. The titles he gave to his columns were often interesting and funny and his followers couldn't wait to read them: “Zero plus zero equals zero”, “Allah meherban tau gadha pehlwan", and “Our dependent judiciary”.

It wasn’t just the specific opinions or details in his columns, it was the themes and style that ran through them that captivated his readers year after year. That there could be a bold writer like him here raised international curiosity and stories covering him appeared in The Hindu, Al Jazeera, Los Angeles Times and NPR. He was highly tolerant of difference of opinion and repeatedly said that his columns were only his views and he understands that others may have a different opinion.

Cowasjee was the antithesis of those he criticised. If their life was about greed and gaming, his was about philanthropy and public interest. Coming from a wealthy family, he made it known that he wrote for the love of it and the income he earned from his writings would not even buy him a necktie. He was the self-appointed guardian of parks and trees in Karachi. Through the Cowasjee Foundation, he funded the education of many students in Karachi.

Today, there are parks and open spaces in Karachi that exist because of him. There are also some illegal buildings that do not exist because of him. The Institute of Business Administration has established the Ardeshir Cowasjee Centre for Writing to enable students to get help in their writing projects from their seniors.

A thankful Karachite remembers Cowasjee

Zulfiqar Bhutto, once a friend, threw him in jail for a few weeks in 1976. That didn’t turn out well for Bhutto and the others who held positions of power in Pakistan. After writing letters to the editor, Cowasjee became a columnist for Dawn and ruthlessly assailed politicians, generals, judges, and mafiosos for years to come.

Cowasjee wasn’t without his weaknesses. It wasn't easy to have a conversation with him as many of his video interviews show. He would lose patience when he felt that the interviewer was not being intelligent enough. He came across as an eccentric who did not care to play nice. I once had the chance to listen to him speak to a small gathering in Karachi in 1999. It felt like a bare knuckle boxing match, him against everyone else, where he rubbished all the excuses we could make for being unable to change the sorry state of affairs in the country.

TCF School, Cowasjee campus, Karachi. The Cowasjee family trust donated funds for one of TCF's largest campuses.

In his English interviews, he would do well. One of his interviews recorded during the Musharraf era comes to mind, where he was impeccably dressed, wearing his gentle smile, softly answering hard questions, and expressing his frustration with the tried and tested politicians.

His Urdu interviews were a different matter. His Urdu was weak. He spoke with the same clarity of mind but relied on offensive street slang as saala, charya, and khuchar, which would make the politically-correct listeners shudder.

In a comedy show, two famous artists, Anwar Masood, playing the interviewer, and the late Moeen Akhtar, playing Cowasjee, mock him for his eccentric behaviour and coarse use of language. One of the funniest parts here is when the interviewer tells Cowasjee that what he said doesn't quite qualify as an answer. Cowasjee retorts that what the interviewer asked wasn’t much of a question either. If you watch some of the actual interviews by Cowasjee, you would notice that the clip was not far from reality. But he valued a sense of humour and probably had a hearty laugh after seeing it.

Cowasjee surprised many of his readers when he allowed himself hope for reforms from the military ruler Musharraf, whom he called “the best of the worst”. It was difficult to understand why with his experience and clarity of mind he would fall for hope from yet another military ruler. One wonders if despite his avowed cynicism, deep down he couldn’t let go of his hopes for Pakistan returning to Jinnah’s vision. Thankfully, his hopes did not blur his vision. Whether it was the tragic case of Mukhtaran Mai or the missing persons, he showed no reluctance in raising his voice for the victims.

While he chose the high-risk path of speaking truth to power and ridiculing the powerful, his was an enviable life: wisdom, money, family, fame, and lovely pets, he seemed to have it all. His readers could only be thankful that despite writing a provocative column every Sunday, somehow, he survived to write the next one against all odds.

The opening lines from a column in 2008 help understand the man and his writings: “Our moth-eaten Pakistan will hobble along, led as it always has been since 1948 by men endowed with mediocrity or men endowed with moral depravation, until, through God's infinite grace, it rights itself and follows the path envisaged by its Founder-Maker, Mohammad Ali Jinnah.”
Where he didn’t walk his talk was when advising others to leave Pakistan to find a better life. He stayed on in his home city Karachi till the end. Like his hero Jinnah, Cowasjee set the bar high, perhaps a little too high for most of his countrymen.

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The writer is a former CEO of the Audit Oversight Board, Executive Director at the Securities and Exchange Commission and content director at CFA Institute (London). He tweets @Usman_Hayat