FAJER RABIA
Fajer Rabia is a highly experienced business woman and social entrepreneur whose has wide ranging experience in management and leadership across the three sectors of the economy as well as in international development.
At the age of just 12 Fajer started work as a volunteer at her mother’s charity in Pakistan supporting people who had no income or education and who suffered deep poverty. This was very unusual at the time as young girls were not normally permitted to work. This experience left an indelible mark on Fajer and has been the driving force which has created an enduring desire to make a positive difference in her community and country.
Fajer moved to Manchester at the age of 18, and set up a Learn Direct Centre to help women learn in a women only environment and overcome the cultural barriers Muslim women were facing in England. In the first year the Centre had a turnover of over £800K and employed over 30 staff with a supporting network of 50 volunteers.
Since then Fajer has set up many other initiatives to support communities to become more enterprising and sustainable, empower women and enable job creation and developed and delivered education programmes for the poor and uneducated. She has mentored over 50 young people and organisations in the UK alone.
She has been recognised for her achievements in the United Kingdom (UK) in 2010 by being awarded The Northwest Inspiring Young Woman awards & The Levis Global Woman Entrepreneur Award and the Young Director NW England Award by the UK Institute of Directors and in 2011 the Highly Commended National Young Director Award by Institute of Directors. Her excellent social entrepreneurship skills won her The Future 100 Social Entrepreneur Award in 2011. Fajer has been awarded a number of other awards for her philanthropic work in Pakistan and for inspiring young women in to setting up Inspiring Enterprises in the UK. Fajer has gone on to advise on UK national policy and framework development for young people 14 – 19 and City/regional economic development as well as Programme delivery in the international development sector leading, for example a major Emergency Relief Programme funded by international donors. More recently she has been active in Pakistan where she heads Pakistan Alliance for Girls Education – PAGE, A strategic organisation working on Research, Policy, and Innovation and mobilizing funding resources for equity in Education and women entrepreneurship. She sits on the Boards of a number of UK companies and is an active supporter of the minor Christian community in Pakistan, providing them with support to develop social enterprises to help them become self-sufficient.She now works out of both Pakistan and the United Kingdom and has a wide ranging network of national and international leaders in business, social entrepreneurship and government with whom she collaborates and continues to seek challenging opportunities which support social and economic development in Pakistan and the UK.
Fajer regularly speaks about entrepreneurship through different platforms including various TV channels, and has also been the guest speaker at the NGO’s World Day and was awarded with an honorary award for her services to NGO’s sustainability
Fajer now heads the Pakistan Alliance for Girls Education ( PAGE ) which promotes gender equity in education in Pakistan. For more information on organisation and their initiatives please visit www.page.org.pk
Brig (R) Samson Simon Sharaf
Expert on National Themes
- A versatile human resource executive with 40+ years of hands on experience in fields of military leadership, crisis management, political analysis, education and water management
- A strategic management professional who deploys participative management style in fast paced, diverse work force
- Excellent team builder and consultant on organizational development
- A proactive change agent
- A speaker in international seminars, television and columnist in national/ international newspapers
- An entrepreneur with effective organizational development experience spanning over 4 continents.
- Columnist for Nation since 2007
- An independent Security and Political Economy Analyst at national and international forums including television channels BBC, CNN, CNBC, SAAMA, EXPRESS, GEO TV, ARY, ATV and AAJ.
Education
- M.Sc. Defence and Strategic Studies, Qaide e Azam University, Islamabad with 1st Position. Majors included South Asia, Nuclear Strategy, Economics of Defence, International Political Economy and Research Methodology. Thesis on Hinduvita, (Indian Strategic Mind). First Position.
- B.Sc. (H) War Studies, University of Balochistan
- Interpretership in French, Qaid e Azam University, Islamabad
- Bachelor’s in Arts, University of Peshawar
- Senior Cambridge ‘O levels, University of Cambridge
- Languages: English, French, Urdu and Punjabi
CEO – Eco Tech Systems International (2005 – to date)
Human Resource Management / Operational Planning & Management, Pakistan Defence Forces (1972-2005)
- Command, management and leadership experience of over 34,000 personnel in high stress situations including combat as an infantry commander
- Awarded Chief of Army Staff Commendation for outstanding services in Human Resource Development. 2004
- Designed and ran Pakistan’s first exclusive MBA courses in Human Resource and Logistics. 2001
- Human Resource Management and Entrepreneurship Lecturer at MBA Level
- Operational & Doctrinal planning for Pakistan Army at General Headquarters for 8 years including Cold Start and conflict limitation in Nuclear Environments. 1997-2005
- Nuclear Strategist at General Headquarters, Pakistan Army. 1997-2005.Achievement included planning 1998 nuclear explosions and writing Nuclear Policy and Doctrine.
- Research papers on role of armed forces in National Development and Fighting Pakistan’s Future Wars
- Honorary Colonel of the Battalion of two Infantry battalions, a rare and unique honor.
Security Analyst / Political Economist
- Numerous international and national publications on security, foreign policy, political economy, nuclear strategy and proliferation issues
- Represented Pakistan at Pacific Armies Military Seminar in Singapore in 1999 reading papers on the Future War against non-state actors and Defence diplomacy. Acclaimed the key speaker
- A comprehensive policy paper on the role armed forces of Pakistan could play in national development. The pilot project on agriculture management was prepared in team with national agriculture council, but abandoned after the coup of 1999 due to political reasons.
- As part of the government and in capacity of a political economist, worked with the Ministry of Finance, Government of Pakistan (1999-2002) in fields of revenue, investments, debt, and water management schemes. My assessments then considered cynical by the Finance Minister proved to be very accurate.
- Author of a policy and implementation paper on national fast track socio-economic development, that could not be implemented due to opposition of the Prime Minister
- Freelance journalist writing for Daily News, Daily Nation and Blogs.
- Wrote a series of Critical appraisals on 1971 Tragedy, destabilization of Pakistan and economic hitmen
Educational Expertise
- Establishing of Army Public College of Management & Sciences (APCOMS), a graduate and post graduate institution (now reaching an independent status) from start up to present level with apt financial portfolio management and no external funding. A project completed over and above military duties. 2000-2005
- Vice President Army Public Education System including APCOMS. 2000-2005
- Project Director, St. Mary’s College Lalazar, Rawalpindi Pakistan, a project of Roman Catholic Diocese. A strategic intervention as community service, over and above my other professional functions.
- Member Board of Governors, Rawalpindi-Islamabad Roman Catholic Diocesan Board of Education
- Member Management and Finance Committee, St. Mary’s Academy, Lalazar Rawalpindi.
- Adjunct Professor in Department of Defence and Strategic Studies, Qaid e Azam University Islamabad since 1997 teaching International Political Economy, Economics of Defence and Nuclear Strategy.
Personal Achievements
- A diversely qualified and highly decorated soldier of Pakistan Army awarded the prestigious Sitara e Imtiaz (distinction star) and special commendations for distinguished contributions by the President of Pakistan in 2005-2006.
- Outstanding grading during military training in France, competing with best military officers of the world. 1988
- As a high altitude mountaineer, summiting Hidden Peak (8068 m), Pakistan’s 3rd highest mountain. 1982
- Trekking the entire perimeter of Pakistan over mountains, bogs, deserts, plains and coastline.
- First to criss-cross the extremely hostile Nara Desert in Sindh. 2005
- Cost free provision of water treatment plants is disaster areas during the earthquake, IDP Crisis and Floods.
Cdr (R) Tariq Muneeb
Producer/Director Wildlife & Environment Documentary
- Chairman PAKSAS
- CEO Sea Phoenix Productions
- Host/Producer/Director Wildlife & Environmental Documentaries
- Former Commander Pakistan Navy
- Commanded Midget Submarines (SSG)
Qualification
- BSc (Hon), Karachi University.
- International Diving Officer course from UK
- Explosive Ordnance Disposal course from UK
- Submarine Command course from Pakistan/Italy
Achievements
- Trained first batch of rescue swimmers for Edhi Foundation in 1999.
- Organized Asia’s largest Reptile Show in 2014 in Lahore and dozens more in various cities of Pakistan.
- Initiated Dolphin show in Pakistan.
- National Champion in Boardsailing for 5 years.
- Participated in Asian Games in 1990 in China.
- Produced twenty five documentaries on Wildlife and Environment of Asia.
- Produced Pakistan’s First Environmental Wildlife Song.
Affiliations
- Life time membership Disposaleer UK
- Participated in UN exercise in Bangladesh
- Worked as volunteer in various NGOs in last 7 years
Asim Raza
Electronic Media Host
TV programs and Experience (May 2000 – On going)
- Worked with Such TV Islamabad as an anchor doing prime time political show “Such Time” four days weekly.
- Worked as an anchor for PTV Current Affairs did live shows “Good Morning Pakistan” and other programs political shows live transmissions.
- Worked with Value TV Islamabad as an anchor did program “Log Kehtay Hain” political and socio economic issues program.
- Worked as an anchor/reporter for Waqt News TV Islamabad. Did program “Sawal” on different issues related to national interest. Making issues based reports for the channel.
- Did LIVE nine hours daily transmission for three years Channel –3 STN (PTV) Islamabad.
- Did special days live transmissions for PTV. (Eid X-mission,14th August and special days)
- Did O.B (Reporting) for the Channel as per requirement like 8th October, Earth quake reporting in life line Program for PTV.
- Did O.B (Reporting) for I.S.P.R Aik Perchum Kay Nichay Covering Pak Army.
- Did program for PTV Youth Adventure first time in Pakistan on Adventure Sports and did open sea “Under Water” coverage in Karachi first time in Pakistan, did Scripting, Hosting, and Research.
DJ on FM101 (Radio Pakistan) Islamabad (Feb 1998)
- Producing shows & presenting live programs.
- Operating all installations & equipment, working on different softwares for productions.
Achievements
- Course Attended NMW-8 National Defence University April 2016.
- Participation Certificate 10th Pakistan National Boy Scout Jamboree from 8th to 15th Nov 1985 held at Lahore.
- Award for All-rounder Presenter FM101 Radio Pakistan Islamabad 2005.
- Certificate of Anchor / Broadcaster tanning PBC radio Pakistan.
Air Commodore (R) Syed Naser Ali Hamdani
Media Adviser “Beyond The Horizon”
Qualification:
- SC from Cadet College Kohat 1972.
- SC (Avionics Engg) PAF College of Aeronautical Engg 1977.
- SC (Electro-Optics) USAF Institute of Technology 1981.
PAF Service:
- Commissioned in Jan 1975.
- Served in EW R&D, instructor in CAE, operational base and deputation to Qatar.
- Commanded Avionics Engg Depot, Software Engg Depot and Avionics Production Factory Kamra.
- Staff job as Asstt Chief of Air Staff (Electronics) in AHQ.
- Retired in 2006.
Corporate Experience:
- Chief Technical Officer (North) Zong 04 years.
- Director Corporate and Regulatory Affairs 04 years.
- Presently Visiting Professor Electrical Engineering Air University.
- Member Election Commission PTI.
- Chief Election Commissioner Overseas Chapters PTI.
- Adviser “Beyond The Horizon” on Media Code of ethics and Media/Social Media regulation.
- Writer “Depths with Hamdani” at Beyond The Horizon, on vital social, media, security & political issues.
Shahvaiz Fawad
UK Based Pakistani Student at University of Essex, UK
