Iqbal Z. Ahmed
Chairman
As an advocate of literature, education, and responsible expression, Ahmed has played a defining role in fostering intellectual and cultural discourse in Pakistan.
As Chairman of the Lahore Literary Festival, he was instrumental in Lahore’s designation as a UNESCO Creative City of Literature, elevating the Punjab capital’s global literary standing. He is also Publisher of The Standard (formerly Newsweek Pakistan).
Ahmed’s commitment to education is reflected in his role, among others, as Chairman of the Government College University Endowment Fund, where he has worked to advance academic excellence in Pakistan. He previously served as Chairman of the Services Institute of Medical Sciences (SIMS), Lahore, strengthening the country’s medical education infrastructure.
Beyond his cultural and academic contributions, Ahmed is an iconic figure in Pakistan’s energy sector. He founded Associated Group (AG) in 1965, shaping it into one of Pakistan’s leading energy conglomerates.
Under his leadership, AG has spearheaded major energy projects, bringing cutting-edge technology to Pakistan for the first time. In 2018, it set up Pakistan’s largest LNG import terminal, which is located in Karachi. In 2005, it established the country’s largest LPG production facility, situated in Hyderabad. AG also installed short-term power plants in Naudero and Bhikhi. Over his 60-year career, Ahmed has mobilized some $1 billion in investment.
In 2019, the then-Governor of Oklahoma, Brad Henry, proclaimed April 19 as “Iqbal Z. Ahmed Day,” recognizing his efforts to create economic opportunities for Oklahoma businesses and his role in strengthening ties between Pakistan and the United States.
Recognized for his visionary leadership, Ahmed has been featured in Newsweek International, Forbes, Bloomberg, Reuters, Dawn, CNBC. He has promoted Pakistan as a foreign investment destination by addressing key global energy summits, including the CWC LNG Summits in Lisbon (2018 and 2019) and Gastech Conferences (Milan in 2020 and Singapore in 2023). His expertise in energy led to his appointment to the Prime Minister’s Committee on the E&P Sector in 2024.
For his contributions, Ahmed was honored with the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s President of Pakistan Trophy in 2012, presented by President Asif Ali Zardari.
He holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Government College and a master’s degree in economics from Punjab University.
Hameed Haroon
A cultural advocate, journalist, and preservationist, Haroon is widely recognized for his contributions to Pakistan’s arts, media, and cultural heritage.
He has played a pivotal role in revitalizing and showcasing Pakistan’s artistic legacy. His catalogue raisonné on Sadequain remains a definitive scholarly work, cementing the artist’s place in global art history. His dedication to cultural preservation also led him to spearhead the restoration of Noor Jahan’s master recordings, ensuring the survival of the legendary singer’s vast musical archive.
For his career-long efforts, Haroon was awarded Pakistan’s Sitara-e-Imtiaz. His contributions have also been recognized internationally. He is a recipient of Italy’s Ordine della Stella d’Italia, one of the country’s highest honors for cultural diplomacy.
Haroon also serves on various nationally important cultural committees, including the Mohatta Palace Gallery Trust, which he leads and where he continues to champion Sindhi and Balochi traditions and safeguard Pakistan’s artistic treasures.
He has been the longest-serving publisher of the English-language daily Dawn, which his family cofounded with Pakistan’s founder, Mohammad Ali Jinnah. Under his leadership, Dawn upheld its reputation for credible and reliable journalism. A staunch advocate for press freedom, Haroon also served as president of the All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS).
Haroon has a master’s degree in East Asian regional studies from Harvard and lives in Karachi.
Nusrat Jamil
A former journalist, Jamil began her career at The Nation before moving to The Frontier Post, where she established herself as a voice of intellectual and cultural insight. She serves on the boards of the Punjab Education Endowment Fund and the Sanjan Nagar Public Education Trust, and previously held a board position at the Lahore Arts Council (Alhamra).
As one of the founding members of the Women’s Action Forum, Jamil helped in mobilizing rights protests during Gen. Zia-ul-Haq’s military rule and was also involved in the Movement for the Restoration of Democracy. Drawing on her journalism experience, she helped shape Tehmina Durrani’s landmark autobiography, My Feudal Lord (1991).
Jamil’s life and activism are the subject of Fabrice Rousselot’s book Une femme au Pakistan: Nusrat Jamil (A Woman in Pakistan) (2000), which chronicles her journey as a journalist and advocate for social change. Through Jamil’s story, the book provides readers with a nuanced understanding of the challenges and societal dynamics faced by women in Pakistan.
Nayyar Ali Dada
Born in Delhi and based in Lahore, Nayyar Ali Dada is among Pakistan’s most distinguished architects, shaping the country’s architectural identity through design and conservation.
At the National College of Arts, Dada studied under several storied creatives, including the artist Shakir Ali—whose posthumous museum he would later design. The moniker “Dada” (grandfather) was given to him by his teachers at the NCA, who felt his skills and acumen far surpassed his peers. Dada has also taught at his alma mater.
His work defines Lahore’s urban and cultural landscape. Downtown Lahore’s business district is lined with office buildings designed by him, reflecting his deep imprint on the city’s evolving skyline. Some of his most significant projects include the Alhamra Arts Center—commissioned by Faiz Ahmed Faiz—the Alhamra Cultural Complex, Gaddafi Stadium, Serena Hotel in Islamabad, Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital & Research Center. His designs balance tradition and modernity, shaping the architectural vocabulary of contemporary Pakistan.
His contributions have been widely recognized. He is the recipient of Pakistan’s highest civil honors, including the Hilal-i-Imtiaz (2018), Sitara-i-Imtiaz (2003), and Pride of Performance (1992). For the Alhamra Arts Center, he received the Aga Khan Award for Architecture (1998), an acknowledgment of his ability to create spaces that resonate with cultural and artistic depth.
Dada is also a leading conservationist. In 2013, after a terrorist attack destroyed the Quaid-e-Azam Residency in Ziarat, he led its restoration, ensuring its return to its original form. Using historically accurate materials and techniques, he sourced period-appropriate antiques and completed the project in just four months.
Beyond architecture, Dada is a raconteur and gallerist—he is one of the founders of the Lahore Biennale Foundation—deeply engaged in Pakistan’s artistic and intellectual circles. Dada’s career reflects an enduring commitment to architectural excellence, heritage preservation, and the arts, ensuring that Pakistan’s—and Lahore’s—cultural and historical identity is celebrated and sustained for generations to come.
Dr. Parvez Hassan
Among others, Dr. Hassan is a founding member of the Lahore University of Management Sciences and has served on the boards of Shaukat Khanum Memorial Hospital, The Citizens Foundation, Government College University, National College of Arts University. He has established the Environmental Law Centre at Punjab University, the Shaikh Ahmad Hassan School of Law at LUMS, and the Razia Hassan School of Architecture at BNU.
Dr. Hassan is also Chair Emeritus of the World Commission on Environmental Law (IUCN) and President of the Pakistan Environmental Lawyers Association. He won a landmark Supreme Court case that established environmental rights as fundamental constitutional rights. Internationally, he has served on IUCN (Switzerland), Lead International (UK), the Foundation for the Future (Bahrain and Jordan), and APFED (Japan).
Dr. Hassan holds an LL.M. from Yale, and a doctorate of law from Harvard.
Attiq Ahmed
Architect, urban planner, and furniture designer, Ahmed’s global exposure underscores his creative and academic endeavors.
Recognized among the “Best of the Best” in global design, Ahmed was included in Architectural Digest’s prestigious AD100 list in 2018. His accolades include the Gold Prize for Illumination Design at the 2018 International Design Awards (IDA) in Los Angeles. He is also the first Pakistani designer to win the Young Talent Award at the 2015 ELLE Décor International Design Awards (EDIDA) in India.
His leadership in restoration projects, such as the internationally acclaimed rehabilitation of Lahore’s historic Mayo Hospital, further solidifies his legacy as a preserver of heritage. His work on Mayo was recognized at the Architect Master Prize 2018, and the London International Creative Competition that same year. His works have also been nominated for the Design Society Awards, London, in 2018 and 2017, as well as for the Aga Khan Award for Architecture in 2018.
Ahmed’s design ethos is deeply rooted in environmental consciousness and social impact. He champions the revival of traditional crafts, seamlessly integrating them into modern design aesthetics to create works that are as meaningful as they are visually compelling.
His expertise extends to academia, with published research in the Lahore Biennale Reader 01 (2023), We Walk Lahore (2016), and Absolutely Public: Crossover Architecture as Art (2005). He is currently completing his book Pakistan’s Architecture (1947-2025), a definitive exploration of the country’s architectural evolution.
Ahmed has a bachelor’s degree in architecture from the National College of Arts, where he has taught, and a master’s degree in urban planning from Columbia University.
Fasih Ahmed
Ahmed is the Editor-in-Chief of The Standard (formerly Newsweek Pakistan, which operated under license from Newsweek LLC). In 2008, he won a New York Press Club award for Newsweek International’s coverage of Benazir Bhutto’s assassination. Ahmed was also the inaugural Daniel Pearl fellow and a fellow at the East-West Institute in Hawaii. He has worked as a staff reporter at The Wall Street Journal’s Washington, D.C., bureau, and written for a number of local and foreign publications, including the Daily Beast. His analysis has been cited in various publications including The New York Times. Ahmed graduated from Columbia University and lives in Lahore.
Sadia Ahmed
As Founding Chairperson of the Zohra and Z. Z. Ahmed Foundation, Ahmed has played a pivotal role in humanitarian support and community development in Pakistan.
The Foundation has led impactful initiatives in education, clean drinking water, eye camps, and the arts, including stipends for the families of late, renowned Pakistani intellectuals.
Recognized by the Pakistan Center for Philanthropy, the Foundation has effectively addressed critical needs in specific communities, particularly in Sindh province. Ahmed continues to expand its reach, ensuring sustainable and meaningful support where it is most needed.
She has a bachelor’s degree in economics from LUMS and lives in Karachi.
Updated on Feb. 7, 2025