Balqes Bano Edhi is a humanitarian and a social worker.

She heads the Bilquis

Edhi Foundation . She was born on August 14, 1947 in Karachi.She is is a
professional nurse. She is the wife of is a prominent Pakistani philanthropist,
social activist and humanitarian Abdul Sattar Edhi. She had two sons and two
daughters. She has been working with the Edhi Foundation since the early 60's.

Malala Yoousafzai - Youngest Noble Peace Prize Winner, for championing the
cause of girls' education in KPK. Assaulted by the Taliban

Sharmeen Obaid Documentarian and a Pakistani journalist. She is the

second Pakistani to win an Oscar.

Samina Baig - First Pakistani woman to have topped Mount Everest and
climbed the Chaskin Sar Peak at 21, which was (later) named after her.

Benazir Bhutto - First woman Prime Minister in the modern Muslim world
and "fought dictatorship without fearing for her life."

Bilquis Edhi - Key principal of Edhi, a non-profit social welfare program in

Pakistan, founded by her husband philanthropist Abdul Sattar Edhi in 1951, providing
maternity and adoption services, shelter for the destitute, free hospitals and medical
care, drug rehabilitation services, etc...

Muniba Mizari - Disabled activist, artist, writer, & motivational speaker

Pakistans first wheel chair bound model.

Zahida Kazmi - First woman taxi-driver in Pakistan

Sabeen Mehmud - human rights activist, founder of the Karachi-based
cafe The Second Floor/T2F ("..a community space designed to enable discussion on
human rights, peace- building, justice, environment, social development and
intellectual poverty alleviation..") and president of the Karachi branch of TiE ("..a
nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering entrepreneurship").
.
Mishal Husain a British-Pakistani news presenter for the BBC who has been tagged
as the one to watch.

Sayeeda Warsi the very first Muslim minister to sit in the British cabinet.

Mariam Sultana the first Pakistani woman to earn a PhD in astrophysics.

Maria Umar the founder of Womens Digital League.

Rabia Garib the Chief Wrapper of ToffeeTV, a

channel that helps children learn through engaging stories in
Urdu. She runs the channel along with her business partner, Talea
Zafar, who is also the Chief Executive.
Saba Gul an engineer, an entrepreneur and the founder of Popinjay.

6 Pakistani women entrepreneurs who have changed the countrys bad image
1. Jehan Ara:

Jehan Ara is one of the most famous name when it comes to Pakistani female
entrepreneurs. She is the active president and the mastermind behind PASHA
(Pakistan Software Houses Association). The company that focuses on IT by
providing software products and services is the brainchild of Jehan Ara. An
entrepreneur, motivational speaker and writer Jehan Ara is a known name of
marketing and communication for almost three decades.
2. Salma Jafri

The girl who entered the professional world after completing her MBA with a job,
today is known as a successful marketer. Salma Jafri is the founder and CEO of
WorldPL.net a portal that provides a platform to young entrepreneurs who wants to
put their content through social media. WordPL is a content marketing firm that works
in divers fields like marketing, consulting, IT, HR, social media, customer services,
online video, film-making, audio, training and e-learning. Salma knows how to take
care of both the worlds as she is a mother and a business woman. The lady who
founded WordPL in 2008 is now leading it with great expertise.
3. Sidra Qasim:

Sidra Qasim is a young innovative entrepreneur who introduced the handcraft shoes
on the internet. Sidra is the co-founder of home town Shoes company which is now
known as Markhor. It is an exceptional portal which sells the handcrafted shoes of
Pakistani craftsmen to the world. Isnt that new and creative!? Sidra Qasim along with
partner Qasim Ali have taken Pakistani handmade leather shoes for men to the
international markets. The firm has got enough recognition as Sidra has major buyers
from Europe, the lady wants to build a better image of Pakistan through her work.
4. Sheeba Najmi:

A MS from Stanford University who started her professional career as a reporter in a

Pakistani satellite channel Sheeba Najmi is now the founder of Tech for Change.
Tech for Change is a non-profit organization works to eliminate civic and social
problems of Pakistan by bringing entrepreneurs, developers and designer together.
This talented young lady has also worked as the lead designer of Yahoo mail for
several years.
5. Kalsoom Lakhani

She is the CEO of invest to innovate (i2i) a company that recognizes and trains
budding entrepreneurs. I2I not only trains the entrepreneurs but they also introduce
them to their clients. Kalsoom Lakhani is also a member World Economic Forums
Global Shapers. Not only this, this talented graduate from George Washington
University is also the founder of CHUP (changing Up Pakistan) that aims to create
awareness regarding different issues of Pakistan.
6. Roshaneh Zafar:

This brilliant lady is the founder and managing director of Kashaf Foundation. This
foundation works to educate, fund and spread awareness to the working women of
rural areas in order to change their economic condition. Roshaneh Zafar got her
education from a prestigious institution Yale University and left her handsome job at
Wold Bank to start Kashaf Foundation. Her hard work is paying back as she is among
the few female game changers of Pakistan who have changed the commonly spread
notion regarding Pakistani women.
..
Sughra Solangi:
Sughra was born on March 02, 1970 in village Muhammad Arab Solangi, Tehsil
Kotediji Khairpur Mirs, Sindh Pakistan, her father Mr. Muhib Ali was the Teacher in
Government School. She wants to seek education but her wishes was destroyed on the
sack of local tradition that female have no need to come out from the house and seek
education. She got married at the age of 12; her first son was born at the age of 13 and
a daughter when she was 15. Her husband abandoned her when she was 20, accusing
her of being unattractive and illiterate.
After her divorce at the age of 20, she had nothing but had to take care of her two
young children. After moving back home with her parents, she felt rejected and
humiliated and was near suicide, but she kept going. Sughra expressed her desire to
learn, but largely due to cultural norms, was discouraged by her brothers.
Nevertheless, she began studying on her own, and eventually, one of her brothers
came forward and allowed an older cousin to help her. Within four years, she passed
the matriculation exam. Although people ridiculed and humiliated her when she

started studying, she didn't lose heart. To support herself and her children, she did
embroidery until late in the evening.
In 1989, she became a teacher at the girl's primary school in her village. But her thirst
for education was much bigger than that. At the age of 31, without any formal
schooling, Sughra successfully completed a Bachelor of Education. In year 2003 she
earned a Masters in Sociology and now plans to add a Masters in Education. Her next
goal is to learn English. She is currently employed as head mistress in a local
Government school, and tries to balance this job with her challenging development
work as a community leader and mother.
Even with all of her accomplishments, society still forced Sughra to marry again. In
1999, Sughra got married with Ashiq Solangi, who also used to work in development
sector and one of is supportive of her within the family.
Awards:
International Women of Courage Award 2011:
This morning at the State Department, hosted ceremony on the 100th Anniversary of
International Womens Day, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and First Lady
Michelle Obama presented the annual International Women of Courage awards to 10
women from around the world. One of these 10 women is Pakistani Ghulam Sughran.
She is Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Marvi Rural Development Organization
is one of the luckiest Pakistani women who received 2011 International Women of
Courage Awards by the Secretary of State.
Acknowledgements
In 1998 Sughra received the award for Best Creative Work in the Life of Rural
Women from the World Women's Summit Foundation
In 1998 she received the award from Government of Pakistan as best food
security implementer.
In 2001 she received the pride of performance award as Best Social worker
from District Government Khairpur Mirs.
..
Sehba Sarwar is a writer, multidisciplinary artist, and activist, currently based in
Houston, USA. She moves between the city of her birth, Karachi, Pakistan, where she
spent the first half of her life in a home filled with artists, activists and educators, and

her adopted city, Houston, where she has recreated a community similar to the one
where she was raised. Through her writings and installations, Sarwar explores
displacement and womens issues, moving between South Asia and the US.
Sarwar's first novel, Black Wings was published in 2004 (Alhamra Publishing,
Pakistan), and her essays, poems and short stories have appeared in publications
including And The World Changed(Feminist Press, New York), The News on
Sunday, The New York Times Sunday Magazine and Callaloo. She has also created a
series of video collages that have been screened in Pakistan, India,Egypt and the US.
In an attempt to document the multiple realities she inhabits - writer, artist, mother,
activist, dual citizen - Sarwar maintains a blog, where she posts images, videos and
words.
Currently, Sarwar is developing a non-fiction narrative entitled What Is Home?that she
started in 2012 while doing a two-year residency at the University of
Houston's Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center for the Arts. In 2014-15, through aMidAmerica Arts Alliance grant, Sarwar expanded her What Is Home? project into a
multidisciplinary arts production the first phase of which culminated on May 9, 2015.
To follow her project, please click here.
Alongside developing What Is Home?, Sarwar serves as artistic/ founding director
of Voices Breaking Boundaries (VBB), a non-profit arts-activist organization in
Houston, USA for which she has created Borderlines, a series that creates connections
between North America and South Asia.
.
1. Namira Salim

Namira became the first Pakistani, man or woman, to reach North and South Poles
when she achieved this in 2008. She also holds the distinction of being the first Asian
and first Pakistani to skydive over Mount Everest during the historic First Everest
Skydives project in 2008. She is also going to be the first Pakistani to travel into
Space when the first commercial space flight by Virgin Galactic takes off.

2. Rozina Ali

Dr. Rozina Ali is a microvascular reconstructive plastic surgeon and consultant with a
specialist interest in breast reconstruction. She was awarded the Cutlers Surgicial
Fellowship in 2007 and is highly regarded within the medical industry with her
research cited in many prestigious medical journals and her appearances on TV shows
in the UK and US as an expert in the field.
3. Rani Taj

Taj is a British Pakistani dhol player from Birmingham, United Kingdom. She rose to
international fame in 2010 when she appeared in a viral video playing dhol in the
streets.
4. Mehreen Faruqi

Mehreen is an Australian politician, with a degree from UET Lahore in Civil

Engineering. She moved to Australia in 1992 after having worked as a consultant in
Pakistan for several years. She has been a Greens Party MP in the New South Wales
Legislative Council since 19 June 2013.
5. Lianna Swan

A swimmer, Swan is a British-Pakistani, who represented Pakistan at the 2014

Commonwealth Games. She holds 9 National records and several international
records for swimming.
6. Asma Gul

Asma Gul is an American award-winning writer. She is the author of three published
works as called , American Muslims: The New Generation, Why I am a Musilm
and Red,White and White All these books are non-fiction, dealing with the
American Muslim movement through critical analysis and personal biography
according to Wikipedia. She has receieved acclaimed praises from Reza Aslan,
Fareed Zakaria and Jack Miles. She currently serves as a Senior Vice
President and Chief Legal Officer to HealthTrio LLC.
7. Huma Abedin

Huma Abedin is an American political staffer. She has been a long-time aide to Hillary
Clinton, and was U.S. Secretary of State Clintons Deputy Chief of Staff at the State
Department. She currently serves as vice chairwoman of Clintons 2016 campaign for
President.
8. Ayesha Jalal

Ayesha Jalal is a Pakistani-American historian who was awarded with

1998 MacArthur Fellowship. She is also the grandniece of renowned Urdu Fiction
writer Saadat Hasan Manto. She has taught at the University of Wisconsin
Madison, Tufts University, Columbia University, Harvard University and LUMS.
9. Shaila Abdullah

Shaila Abdullah is known as a Word Artist for being an award-winning PakistaniAmerican author, writer and designer. Her work focuses on the strengths and
weaknesses of Pakistani women and their often unconventional choices in life. She is
the author of five books, Saffron Dreams, Beyond the Cayenne Wall and three
childrens books, My Friend Suhana, Rani in Search of a Rainbow, and A Manual
for Marco. Abdullah has received many awards for her work including the Patras
Bukhari Award for English Language, the Golden Quill Award and the Norumbega
Jury Prize for Outstanding Fiction.
10. Shahzia Sikander

Shahzia Sikandar is a Pakistani born, internationally recognized artist. After

graduating from NCA in 1991 with a BFA she moved to the USA gaining an MFA
from Rhode Island School of Design in 1995. Sikander has been the recipient of
numerous awards, grants and fellowships, including the Asia Society Award for
Significant Contribution to Contemporary Art, Art Prize in Time-Based Art from
Grand Rapids Museum and the Inaugural Medal of Art. In 2004, Newsweek listed
Sikander as one of the most important South Asians transforming the American
cultural landscape. In 2006, the World Economic Forum, Davos, Switzerland
appointed Sikander as a Young Global Leader.
11. Sana Amanat

Sana Amanat, an Editor at Marvel Comics, is developing and managing creative

content for the companys various publishing lines. Most recently, she co-created the
first solo series to feature a Muslim Pakistani female super hero, Ms. Marvel. She also
serves as a Young Leaders Committee board member at Seeds of Peace, an
organization that promotes the empowerment of youth in regions of conflict.
The character created by Amanat. First Marvel Superhero of Pakistani Muslim
descent.
13. Tahmena Bokhari

Tahmena Bokhari is a Pakistani-Canadian beauty pageant titleholder and social

worker. She was born in Toronto , Canada and spent several childhood years
in Faisalabad,Pakistan. She won Mrs. Pakistan World 2010 in Toronto and became the
3rd Pakistani woman in history to represent women on an international platform when
she won Mrs. United Nation International 2010.
14. Rohina Malik

Rohina Malik is a critically acclaimed playwright, actress, speaker and

solo performance artist of South Asian descent. Her career in playwriting and
performance arts started in 2008 after taking a class on writing a one-person play with
Tekki Lominicki in April 2008. She has performed at educational institutions
like Princeton, Yale, University of Chicago, University of Oklahoma, Columbia
University, University of Illinois and Stanford. And yes, she wears a hijab but that
doesnt deter her from acting!
15. Maliha Masood

Maliha Masood is a Karachite who moved to US in 1982. She is an award-winning

writer in creative nonfiction and the author of two travel memoirs. Her works include
Zaatar Days, Henna Nights and Dizzy In Karachi. Having selected for the Jack
Straw Foundation writers forum in 2005, Masoods writings on women, culture and
Islam have been featured in many prestigious publications.
16. Heina Rizwan Mohammad

This girl is the first female Police constable in Hong

Kong, of South Asian descent. Having been recruited in 2012, she has served in Yuen
Long district of Hong Kong.
17. Fatima Ali

Fatima Ali is a chef whose specialty is Pakistan-spiced Western fare a combination

that won her first prize on the American cooking show Chopped. Currently souschef at Caf Centro, she plans to return to Pakistan to establish subsidized kitchens
with cheap and organic food for the poor.
18. Shama Zehra

Shama Zehra is the CEO of Wall Street firm Aligned Independent Advisors. She
began her career as an entrepreneur in the apparel industry in Pakistan in 1991 with a
women apparel firm co-founded with her mother and sister. Shama worked with

Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Standard Chartered Bank and MCB Bank, the
largest private sector bank in Pakistan in early nineties.

19. Shaan Kandawalla

Shaan is the CEO of PlayDate Digital which makes educational applications for kids.
She started it in 2012 after many years of experience working at Nickelodeon and
Hasbro. Apps produced by PlayDate feature Hasbro brands like Play-Doh, My Little
Pony and Transformers.
20. Mona Shaikh

Mona Shaikh, also known as The Naughty Muslim Comedian, resides in Los Angeles,
USA, pursing her career as a comedian and actor while developing her upcoming
One-Hour Special and Comedy TV series. Recently, Mona hosted the Miss Pakistan
World Pageant in New York City and also became the first Pakistani female Comedian
to be selected for the Laughs Factory Funniest Person in the World Competition.
Mona has been featured in The LA Weekly, New York Post, The Huffington Post, The
Washington Post and BBC.
21. Riffat Hassan

Riffat Hassan is a Pakistani-American theologian and a leading Islamic feminist

scholar of the Quran. She also wrote the eleventh chapter of Transforming the Faiths
of our Fathers: Women who Changed American Religion (2004), edited by Ann
Braude. She has taught at schools including Oklahoma State University and Harvard
University, and is currently a professor of Religious Studies at the University of
Louisville, Kentucky.
..
Naseem Hamid
Naseem Hamid is a Pakistani athlete. She was born Ist May , 1988 at Karachi in lower
middle class family . The 22-year-old Nasim Hameed became South Asia's fastest
woman by winning the 100-metre in the South Asian Federation Games (SAF) in
Dhaka
Naseem Hameed is Pakistan's first female athlete to win the sprint in the competition's
26 year history.
Former President Asif Ali Zardari appointed gold-winning Pakistan woman athletes
Naseem Hamid a sports ambassadors to honor her extraordinary success.
Carla Khan
Carla Khan is a Pakistani women squash player. Carla
Khan Was born on August 18, 1981 at London. She is
grand daughter of legend Pakistan squash player Azam
Khan .She started playing squash in England at age 12.
She has won five titles in her career, which are: El
Salvador Open 2002, Ottawa Open 2003, Pakistan
Open 2005 and Iranian Open 2007 and Austrian Open
in 2008. Through Carla Khans achievements she
gained media coverage around the world and has been recognized as the Squash
Queen of Pakistan, her fan base stretches worldwide including ex pats from Pakistan.
her highest ranking of 21.In 2006 because of serious back injury Carla Khan then
retired. However she made a come back in 2009 but later she again retire from
sport .Carla is now pursuing a career in t.v, radio and writing .
Kiran Baloch
Kiran Baloch is a female Pakistani test cricketer.
Kiran Baloch Was born on February 23, 1978 at
Karachi. She is Right-hand batwoman. She is the
record holder of the highest individual score in the

international game. She scored 242 in the first cricket Test against the West Indies at
the National Stadium Karachi. She played 3 test and 40 One day international matches
for Pakistan.
Ghalia Mohsin
Ghalia Mohsin is a Pakistani woman table tennis star
.Ghalia belongs from Karachi. She was known as Ghalia
Khurshid before getting married with table tennis player
Mohsin Raza. She won national championship in 2009 ,
2010 and 2011 .She also won gold medal in World Team
Table Tennis championship China. Ghalia is also 7 time
winner of Karachi Table Tennis open .
Her sister Maleeha Khursheed is also a table tennis player.
Kiran Khan
Kiran Khan is a Pakistani female swimmer .Kiran Was born
on December 21, 1989 at Lahore. She has represented
Pakistan on many International forums namely Asian games
at very young age. Kiran Khan has swam for the Pakistani
team in the Asian Games as well as the Commonwealth
Games, in addition to several other international swimming
meets including the 2008 Summer Olympics .
Kiran Khan won six silver and two bronze medals at
Islamabad 2004 and another two silver and six bronze at
Colombo 2006.After this performance she was named
"Golden Girl". She revised Tamgha-E-Imtiaz in 2012.

Rubab Raza
Rubab Raza is a Pakistani swimmer .Rubab Was born on January 15, 1991 at Lahore.
At the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece she became first Pakistani female
swimmer to compete at the event when she contested the 50 meter freestyle.
She has won two silver medals and one bronze in the ninth South Asian games held in
Islamabad the year 2004 .
Rubab has won a wild card entry for the 2004 Olympics due to her performances in
swimming championships around the world. She also became the youngest
sportswoman to represent Pakistan in any Olympics event when she took part in the
2004 Olympics at the age of 13.She has won a number of national titles, and has seen

success at Asian swimming tournaments.

Shabana Akhtar
Shabana Akhtar is a Pakistani athletes .She was born on born April 5, 1972 .She is
FIRST Pakistani female athlete who participated in Atlanta
Olympics 1996. She participated in Women International Games
held in Islamabad - Pakistan in 1996 and won 4 Gold Medals
with a new record in 100M and 200M. Shabana has the honour
to represent Pakistan in a number of International Events
She won 2 Gold Medals in 2nd Islamic Countries Women Sports
Solidarity Games held in Tehran 1997.
Sana Mir is a Pakistani woman cricketer . She was born on 5 January 1986 at
Abboatabad. Sana is currently Caption of Pakistan women cricket team .
She played her first One-day International Match against Sri Lnaka in 2005 at
Karachi. She is all-rounder .She is right hand bat and legbreak bowler .She is very
good cricketer . She is also the only Pakistani in the top 20 .
..
Asma Jahangir
Asma Jahangir is a leading lawyer and the human rights activist. She was January 27,
1952 in Lahore. She done her graduation from Kinnaird College Lahore and LLB
from Punjab University. Aasma Jahangir was the President Supreme Court Bar
Association of Pakistan 2010 - 2011 .
She served as the UN Special Rapporteur on Extra judicial, Arbitrary and Summary
Executions. She is also chairperson of Human Rights Commission of Pakistan.
She has spent her career defending the human and women rights, rights of religious
minorities and children in Pakistan. Aasima Jahangir is the author of many
publications and 2 books. She got award of Hilal-i-Imtiaz in 2010. She have 1
daughter and 1 son.
.
Writers:
Altaf Fatima
Altaf Fatima is urdu writer . She was born in 1929 at Lukhnow India . She moved to
Pakistan in 1947 after Partition. She is very famous fiction writer and novelist .She
retired as a professor of Urdu. She has published many collections of short stories and
novels.

Her Novel Dastak Na Do received a lot of success.An adaptation was presented on

Pakistan television and an abridged translation was serialized by the prestigious
Karachi monthly, Herald.

Bano Qudsia
Bano Qudsia is a urdu writer and playwright. She was born in 1928 at Ferozpur India .
She moved to Lahore Pakistan in 1947 after Partition. She graduated from Kinnaird
College in Lahore. In 1951, she completed her M.A. degree in Urdu from the
Government College Lahore. She is very famous and popular writer and novelist .She
wrote numerous short stories, novelettes, television and radio plays, and stage plays.
She has written for television and stage in both the Urdu and Punjabi languages. She
was married to famous writer Ashfaq Ahmed. She was awarded the Sitara-e-Imtiaz in
and the Hilal-e-Imtiaz by Government of Pakistan
Haseena Moin
Haseena Moin is a famous Urdu dramatist, playwright and writer. She was born in 20
November 1941 at Kanpur India .Her family moved to Rawalpindi Pakistan after
Partition in 1947. She got her Master degree in history from Karachi University.
Hasina Moin started writing plays for radio Pakistan and later
she wrote plenty of popular drams for Pakistan Television her
television plays have earned international repute. Ankahi ,
Tanhaiyaan , Dhund , Aahut , Dhoop Kinay , Uncle urfi ,
AansooPal do Pal and Dhundle Raste are some of her super
hit TV serials.
Fehmida Riaz

Fehmida Riaz is a Urdu writer and poet. She was born in July 28, 1946 at Meerut
India .She was already making poetry at this young age.
Fahmida spend a few years in UK after his first marriage
where she worked with the BBC Urdu service and got a
degree in film making. Her writings are recognized equally at
national and international level. Her work has been translated
into French, German and Russian Languages.
Pathar Ke Zaban , Dodavari , Karachi ,Dhoop and Adhoora
Aadmi are some of her famous books. Fahmida Riaz is
currently MD Urdu Dictionary Board. She received Sitara -eImtiaz on 23 March 2010 by the President of Pakistan and Presidential Pride of
Performance Award for Literature: Poetry .
Bushra Rehman
Bushra Rehman is a writer , Politician ,columnist and
author . She was born in August 28, 1946 at Bahawalpur.
She got a master degree in journalism from Punjab
University Lahore.She was member of National Assembly
on reserved seats for women in General Election 2002
and 2008 . She was elected as a member of Punjab
Assembly in 1985 and 1988 .
She is author of many Novels and books .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. She has also
received Presidential Award Sitara-i-Imtiaz for her literary works in 2007.
Fatima Surayya Bajia

Fatima Surayya Bajia is novelist, playwright and drama

writer of Pakistan. She was born September 1, 1930 at
Hyderabad India .She is one of ten children, her other
siblings include Anwar Maqsood, Zehra Nigah and Zubaida
Tariq .
Shama , Afshaan ,Arsoosa ,Zeenat, Ana , Aagahi , Ghar aik
Nagar , Faraz Aik Karz ,Phool Rahi Sarsoon , Tasveer-eKainaat , Asaavari and Phool Rahi Sarsoon are some of her
popular drama serials.
She has been awarded various awards at home and abroad including Japan's highest
civil award in recognition of her works and Pride of Performance Award for her
services to the performing arts in Pakistan.
Razia Butt
Razia Butt was a very popular urdu writer. She was born in
May 19, 1924 at Rawalpindi . Her real name was Razia Niaz
but she was famous with the name of Razia Butt.Razia Butt first
naval was Naila published in 1946.She had written about 50
novels and more than 350 stories. She also wrote many radio
plays. She was very popular story writer in women .Many
drama serials and films were also made on her stories. Her
famous contributions include Gul Bano, Bano, Naila, Namoo ,
Nooreen Saiqa Zindagi, Sarahand Aashi and many other.
Razia Butt died in Lahore on 4 October 2012. She will ever
enjoy a unique position among great novel writers and in the
field of Urdu literature.
Samina Raja
Samina Raja was an Urdu poetess editor and translator. She
was born in September 11, 1961 at Rahim Yar Khan. She
held a Master degree in Urdu Literature from the University
of Punjab, Lahore. She started writing poetry in 1973 and
got published 12 books of poetry, two Kulliyat and one
selection of romantic poetry..
She worked in National Book Foundation as a consultant
and editor of monthly Kitab in 1998. She also joined
monthly Aassar as an editor the same year.
Samina Raja was died on October 30 ,2012 at Islamabad.
Parveen Shakir

Parveen Shakir was a famous female poet and civil

servant . She was a good and very populor poet. She was
born in November 24 , 1952 at Karachi .She hold P.hd
degree , Master degree in English Literature and Master
in business administration from the University of
Punjab, Lahore. She joined civil service of Pakistan and
worked in the Customs Department. .She started making
poetry at her young age. Her first volume of poetry,
Khushbu to great acclaim, in 1976 . She got published 6
books of poetry.
Parvin Shakir married a Pakistani doctor Naseer Ali, with whom she had a son Syed
Murad Ali but the marriage did not last long and ended in a divorce.
Parveen Shakir was died on On 26 December 1994 in a road accident in Islamabad.
She was awarded the Pride of Performance.
Bapsi Sidhwa is a novelist who writes in English and is resident in America. She is
best known for her collaborative work with Indo-Canadian filmmaker Deepa Mehta:
Sidhwa wrote both the 1991 novel Ice Candy Man which served as the basis for
Mehta's 1998 film Earth as well as the 2006 novel Water: A Novel which is based
upon Mehta's 2005 film Water.
Sidhwa was born to Parsi Zoroastrian parents Peshotan and Tehmina Bhandara
in Karachi and later moved with her family to Lahore.
Awards
Bunting Fellowship at Radcliffe/Harvard (1986)
Visiting Scholar at the Rockefeller Foundation Center, Bellagio, Italy, (1991)
Sitara-i-Imtiaz, (1991, Pakistan's highest national honor in the arts)[1]
Lila Wallace-Reader's Digest Writer's Award (1994)[1]
Premio Mondello for Foreign Authors for Water (2007)[5]
Inducted in the Zoroastrian Hall of Fame (2000)[1]
Works
Their Language of Love : published by Readings Lahore (2013, Pakistan.)
Jungle Wala Sahib (Translation) (Urdu) : Published by Readings Lahore (2012,
Pakistan)
City of Sin and Splendour : Writings on Lahore (2006, US)

 Water: A Novel (2006, US and Canada)

Bapsi Sidhwa Omnibus (2001, Pakistan)
An American Brat (1993, U.S.; 1995, India)
Cracking India (1991, U.S.; 1992, India; originally published as Ice Candy
Man, 1988, England)
The Bride (1982, England; 1983;1984, India; published as The Pakistani Bride,
1990 US and 2008 US)
The Crow Eaters (1978, Pakistan; 1979 &1981, India; 1980, England; 1982,
US)

..
Mossarat Qadeem
Executive Director, PAIMAN Alumni Trust
With a mission of social change through innovative approaches, Mossarat Qadeem
works directly with mothers to deradicalize extremist youth in Taliban strongholds and
reintegrate male family members into communities. In moderating extremism in
Pakistan, she chooses to "collaborate, not confront."
She was a lecturer at Peshawar University in 1990, when just four of 180 professors
were women, and has continued to break new ground. "Working with conservative
religious clerics, we were successful often when we thought we would fail. Often, our
own fears are the only thing stopping us from reaching out."
Shehnaz Akbar
Regional Coordinator, PAIMAN Alumni Trust
Shehnaz Akbar delivers services to disenfranchised communities and trains youth,
government officials, religious scholars, and civil society actors on women's rights,
gender-based violence, conflict resolution, peacebuilding, and democracy and
governance.

As a self-appointed local "peacekeeper" in the district of Rajanpur, she mediates

between Sunni and Shia sects by convening meetings with religious leaders to discuss
peace and security. She has convinced both communities to form peacekeeping
volunteer groups comprised of young men who safeguard religious precessions and
ceremonies, successfully diffusing tensions and reducing violence in the district.
Naziha Syed Ali
Freelance Journalist
Naziha Syed Ali is a freelance journalist and documentary film producer who focuses
on human rights abuses and the rise of religious extremism in Pakistan. She has
written extensively about militant organizations and the victims of terrorist violence,
and has researched education and madrassa culture in Pakistan.
Ali organizes seminars, festivals, and media campaigns that promote peace and
freedom of expression. In early 2011, she helped organize a signature campaign and a
cultural festival that drew over 30,000 people to Karachi to denounce hatred and
intolerance.
Farhat Asif
Editor, The Diplomatic Insight
As a child in the war-torn region of Kashmir, Farhat Asif's father told her "conflict
cannot end by starting another conflict, but through peace and dialogue." Motivated
by his words and a desire to bring peace to her homeland, Asif later founded
Pakistan's first Arabic/English bilingual magazine. The theme of the magazine is
peace through informed dialogue, and it strives to promote understanding and
tolerance.
Prior to establishing the magazine, Asif worked at the Islamabad Policy Research
Institute, conducting research on women, peace, conflict, and development in
Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Tahira Baloch
Operations Officer, World Health Organization
Dr. Tahira Baloch is an operations officer for the World Health Organization, where
she coordinates public health programs and oversees health emergency and disaster
management projects in Balochistan province. She also manages the provision of free
maternal health care to women at the district and provincial level.
Baloch has worked for numerous UN Missions around the world and serves as a
council member on the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan. She conducts research

and focus group discussions and convenes roundtable meetings with policymakers to
convey the population's grievances and to advocate for sustainable solutions.
Bushra Hyder
Director, Qadims Lumiere School and College
Living in Pakistan's most remote and volatile region along the border of Afghanistan
-- Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) -- Bushra Hyder has experienced first-hand the effects
of increasing extremist violence in her homeland. Yet she says, "when terror comes to
your doorstep, you cannot fear it; you cannot tolerate it anymore."
Hyder established and directs her own high school that teaches students about other
religions and cultures, promoting compassion and understanding. To help her
community cope with frequent violence, she has created student "peace clubs" that
visit a nearby hospital to meet with survivors of bomb attacks. Hyder also conducts
trainings with young women on leadership, conflict transformation, peacebuilding,
and microenterprise, and lobbies local government and religious officials to
implement peace curricula in schools throughout the region.
Huma Chughtai
Freelance Consultant
Born in Rawalpindi, Huma Chughtai is a freelance consultant with over 25 years of
experience working in the areas of governance, gender and development,
parliamentary capacity, judicial reform, and human rights. Chughtai practiced law and
then served as a legislative researcher for the National Assembly of Pakistan, focusing
on Sharia law, constitutional, legal, and judicial issues, women's rights, and
parliamentary practices. At times, she serves as legal advisor to the Ministry of
Women Development and the Women's Parliamentary Caucus.
As a trainer for PAIMAN Alumni Trust, she teaches men, women, youth, and students
about conflict resolution, peacebuilding, and human rights. Drawing on her expertise
in Sharia law, she emphasizes the peaceful elements of Islam and links international
conventions with Islamic tenets to counter the radical arguments that fuel extremism.
Sameena Imtiaz
Executive Director, Peace Education and Development (PEAD) Foundation
Sameena Imtiaz is an avid proponent of education to counter extremism. She leads
training courses for youth groups, teachers, clergy, and community leaders to promote
tolerance and nonviolence. She has authored school curricula and teacher training
materials that promote cultural diversity and interfaith harmony, and she advocates for
their implementation in religious and education institutions. She counseled the central

government to include peace education in standard curricula and has pushed for the
same goal at the provincial levels since decision-making on education was
decentralized.
Zarmina Rafiq
District Coordinator, PAIMAN Alumni Trust
Zarmina Rafiq trains civil society actors, youth groups, and university students on
peacebuilding and conflict transformation in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas
(FATA) and Swat valley -- two of Pakistan's most remote, conflict-ridden regions.
Drawing on her eight years as a district councilor, she also trains women councilors on
advocacy, budgeting, gender-sensitivity, and legislative matters.
Despite limits on women's mobility in FATA and Swat, Rafiq travels extensively to
assess community needs. She has gained the trust of local leaders and has unusual
access to the homes of families in these communities, even using kitchens as safe
meeting spaces for groups of women to discuss how they are affected by extremism.
Rafiq also meets with local government officials, parliamentarians, policymakers, and
religious leaders to advocate around women's issues, peace education, and conflict
resolution.
Farida Sadiq
Master Trainer, PAIMAN Alumni Trust and UN Development Programme
Farida Sadiq is an independent consultant and master trainer with over 12 years of
experience in the field of conflict resolution, democracy, and governance. Sadiq
conducts trainings and advocacy sessions with youth and local communities on
conflict transformation and peacebuilding. Through these sessions, she has formed
groups of "peace practitioners" who advocate for non-violence and help diffuse
tensions among neighbors, families, and communities.
She advocates to religious leaders in Punjab province for the inclusion of peace
curricula in Pakistani schools. Sadiq also trains district councilors, government
secretaries, and women seeking elected office on gender sensitization, voter education,
women's empowerment, and leadership skills. She has trained more than 9,000
women leaders, the majority of who were eventually elected to office as district
councilors and parliamentarians.
Sonia Sahar
Executive Director, Balochistan Foundation for Development

Sonia Sahar has over 11 years of experience in the development sector with expertise
on gender, women's health, and women's political rights. She has worked extensively
with political parties, government officials, and elected representatives to combat
violence against women, advocating for the implementation of measures to ensure
women's protection in conflict and disaster-affected areas. She provided technical
support to Balochistan's provincial assembly to pass the United Nations' Safe
Motherhood Resolution and assisted the province's women's parliamentary caucus in
drafting their by-laws.