Bridge magazine

Semi-annual Magazine ofWorld Congress of Overseas Pakistanis (WCOP)
diaspora
Volume 2 | Issue 1 | January - June 2015
Happy
PAKISTAN DAY
23 MARCH
2015
The Nobel Journey - Pakistan
Celebrate Malala's Peace
Prize - Cover Story
Integration Dinner With Deputy
Prime Minister Nick Clegg
The Statutory Organisations for
Overseas Pakistanis - OPF &
Punjab Overseas Pakistanis
Commission
Marketing Pakistan
Exclusive Article

3DiasporaBridge | Jan-Jun 2015

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Semi-annual Magazine of World Congress of Overseas Pakistanis
Issue 1, Volume 2, Jan - Jun 2015; ISSN 2094 - 1905
Board of Governors:
Syed Qamar Raza
Muhammad Naheed Randhawa
Majed Ismail Chaudhry
Najib Khan
Tariq Ramzan Chaudhry
Mahboob Hussain Chaudhry
AG Chaudhry
Chaudhary Afzal Mahmood
Dr. Suhail Chughtai
Zahid Amanat Khan
Kamran Khan
Suniya Qureshi
Editor-in-Chief:
Dr. Humayon Dar
humayon@humayondar.com
Publisher:
Edbiz Consulting Limited
4 Montpelier Street,
Knightsbridge London WC7 1EE
United Kindom
www.edbizconsulting.com
Designed by:
Fahad Alvi
falvi@edbizconsulting.com
Muhammad Ali
mali@edbizconsulting.com
Editor
Arif Anis Malik
arif.malik@wcop.org.uk
Associate Editors
Esther Das
Adnan Khan
WCOP Secretariat:
17-19 York Road, Waterloo,
London SE17NU, United Kindom
Phone: +44 208 659 3400
www.wcop.org.pk
C o n t e n t s
Message From High Commissioner
Message From Chairman
Message From Co-Chairman
From Editor’s Desk
Marketing Pakistan - Omar Mansoor
Intergration Empowerment & WCOP -
Dr Suhail Chugtai
WCOP, World Memory Championship -
Ayub Ghauri
The Statutory Organisations for
Overseas Pakistanis - Overseas
Pakistanis Foundation & Punjab
Overseas Pakistanis Commission -
Tariq Suleman
Promoting Coexistence & Togetherness
Revd Rana Youab Khan
The Nobel Journey, Story Of Malala
Yusafzai - Arif Anees Malik
WCOP Celebrates 2nd Integration
Dinner - Makhdoom Tariq Mahmood-ul-
Hassan
4th Pakistan Future Leader
Conference Oxford - Esther Das
Fighting Poverty, The Akhuwat Way
Leading From The Front - Rabia Bhatti
WCOP Celebrates 2nd Christmas
Dinner - Sara Aslam
Sharing The Best Practices - WCOP
welcomes Chairman APPNA -
Adnan Khan
The Innocent Martyrs
06
07
08
10
12
16
19
24
09
27
33
38
46
51
49
55
58

6 DiasporaBridge | Jan-Jun 2015

Message from
Chairman Sajjad Karim
Chariman
The British Pakistani Diaspora is the largest Diaspora
of Pakistani’s in the world. With over a million British
Pakistanis there are more people of Pakistani heritage
in the UK then in any other country in the EU. Today
the Pakistani community stands as Britain’s second
largest ethnic minority group.
Yet, despite a long history of migration that began
from the Indian sub-continent since the 1700’s and
later amongst Pakistani migrants in the 1950’s, there
remains a strong perception of British Pakistanis as
poorly integrated within British society. For instance
in a 2014 YouGov poll 54% of respondents felt that
British Pakistanis were integrated ‘not very well’ or
‘not at all well’. And at a time when the integration
debate has become ever-more topical in the UK, it is
timely to consider the flip side of the notion of poor
British-Pakistani integration and ask to what extent
have British Pakistani’s not just integrated, but played a
constructive role in British society?
British-Pakistanis, after all, permeate all walks of
British life; from the UK’s 17 British Pakistani MP’s,
Peers and MEP’s, to business leaders like James
Caan, to well-known sports personalities like cricketer
Moeen Ali and boxer Amir Khan and indeed even to
world renowned pop stars like One Direction’s Zayn
Malik and globally acclaimed DJ and record producer
“naughty boy” (A.K.A 29 year old Shahid Khan).
Moreover, Britain currently has a Government Minister
in Sajid Javed MP, a Shadow Labour Cabinet Minister
in Sadiq Khan MP and a former Cabinet Minister in
Baroness Warsi, all of Pakistani descent. And screen
faces like Mishal Hussain, Martin Bashir, Riz Khan
and Art Malik have, over the years, gone some way
towards normalising the perception of both Asians and
Pakistanis in popular media.
On a wider scale, we have seen the emergence
of a Pakistani community that has in some ways
kept alive the traditional British values of close-knit
family ties and communities, of a cultural aversion
to indebtedness and an appreciation of the value of
education, of work ethic, business enterprise and
entrepreneurship. Today this ethic still lives on in many
Pakistani homes and communities. Rather than be a
bulwark to integration, it in fact harmonises the best of
Pakistani and British traditions, representing the truest
and most authentic form of positive integration.
There are powerful examples of the linkages between
Britain and Pakistan, ones that underscore a historic
relationship between the two. For example, millions
from the Indian sub-continent fought under the British
flag during the two world wars, many hailing from
modern day Pakistan.
Of course none of this is to suggest real challenges
and problems also do not exist within the UK’s one
million strong Pakistani community. They do. But they
exist in all communities. And they should not be used
to propel sweeping generalizations about the British
Pakistani community that tars it as a monolithic block.
With much in media headlines to suggest British
Pakistanis are not integrating; from stories about
radicalized zealots joining ISIS, grooming gangs
and even plots to launch attacks on British soil, it
is important to bear in mind that this fails to tell the
full story. Those implicated in such stories are far
outnumbered by those within the British Pakistani
community that are appalled by them. And challenges
of problematic subcultures are not unique to the
Pakistani community; they in-fact often cut across
ethnic and religious lines.
Radicalisation and extremism exists beyond just the
Pakistani and Muslim communities, as do cases of
organized abuse. That’s not to say more should not
be done to tackle these very real problems. But we
cannot let the story of the British Pakistani Diaspora be
told through the lens of a tiny minority that, when given
overwhelming coverage, diminish and misrepresent so
much the community has achieved and so much that
symbolizes real integration.
To do so would be to overlook how far the community
has come as a whole. And it would ignore the long
history of engagement and cooperation between the
two peoples, something that has continues to the
present day.
Sajjad Karim
Chairman
Chairman@wcop.org.uk
Sajjad Karim

I must congratulate the editorial team of Diaspora
Bridge magazine for producing the third issue of the
magazine. This issue is special for one particular
reason that we are introducing our Chairman Sajjad
Haider Karim, the Member European Parliament from
North West of England, to our readers. Chairman
WCOP Sajjad Karim, who is also Chairman of European
Friends of Pakistan is lauded by millions of Pakistanis
all over the world for his extraordinary services for
Pakistan. It is pleasure sharing the news that on the
23rd March, 2015, during Pakistan Day celebrations,
the WCOP Chairman will be awarded ‘The Sitara-i-
Quaid-i-Azam’ for his services to strengthen Pakistan/
UK and Pakistan/EU relations. This is Pakistan’s highest
national honour to non-Pakistanis for services which
have helped Pakistan. He is one of only two people to
receive the award this year. Congratulation to you Mr.
Chairman and members and supporters of WCOP in
the UK and all over the world.
In March 2015, the nation is going to celebrate the
Pakistan Day in style and substance. This year, a joint
military parade of Pakistan’s armed forces will take
place on Pakistan Day after a gap of seven years.
In Pakistan, the March 23 is venerated because it
is likened to a national holiday, with some military
processions that honour the day. However, the day’s
true greatness is more universal as it demonstrates
the ideology of the independence movement; justice
for the masses through constitutional measures
ranging from electoral safeguards to guaranteed
representation in state institutions.
It was this day that the Muslim League declared its
demand for a separate homeland to safeguard the
sanctity of the rights of the 30 million Muslims in British
India. The Lahore Resolution of March 23-24, known as
the Pakistan Resolution, represented a watershed in
modern Indian history.
The resolution was adopted on March 24, but the
first critical step towards its adoption was taken on
March 23. The date came to be ingrained in Muslim
consciousness over the years as the one on which
they had proclaimed their separate nationhood status
in India’s body politic which was till then generally
considered a uni-national polity.
Through this year’s parade and celebrations, the
nation is going to exhibit its resolve against terrorism
and extremism and pay homage to those martyrs from
the civilian and armed forces who sacrificed their today
for our tomorrow. WCOP-UK is organising a community
event in London to reflect the spirit of the day.
As you may see, the current magazine would give
you intensive insight into what World Congress
of Overseas Pakistanis stand for and how we are
pursuing our vision and mission. At the same time,
we are bracing ourselves for a very busy summer of
events and activities. Our signature event, the 3rd
Integration Dinner is around the corner. This year
we are also planning to celebrate ‘Azadi Week’ in
August which would show case the best from Pakistan
in sports, culture, fashion, music, literature and
community & humanitarian services with the view to
engage international audience comprising of artists,
community leaders, parliamentarians, entrepreneurs,
students and opinion makers from several countries.
Another pleasant news is that international Urdu
Mushaira & Media Conference will be held in London
in May 2015. Some of the biggest names from Pakistan
will be attending the events. In May, the ‘Jinnah
Centre’, the joint project of WCOP & TVapex will be
also formally inaugurated.
As member Board of Governors of Overseas
Pakistanis Foundation, I am happy on the launch of
the Punjab Overseas Pakistanis Commission and
wishing its Chairman Mr. Azaal Bhatti all the best in his
endeavours. WCOP pledges to support all statutory
organisations working for the interests of Overseas
Pakistanis.
Happy reading and we shall be meeting soon.
Pakistan - Zindabaad
Syed Qamar Raza
Co-Chairman
co-chairman@wcop.org.uk
Message From
Co-Chairman
Syed Qamar Raza
Co-Chariman

Welcome to the 3rd issue of Diaspora Bridge
magazine. This issue is dedicated to addressing the
matters pertaining to identity, image and integration.
Message from the High Commissioner of Pakistan His
Excellency Syed Ibne Abbas and WCOP Chairman
Sajjad Karim are highlight of the magazine. Both of
the high achievers reflect upon the core theme of
what Overseas Pakistanis are all about; handwork,
entrepreneurship and enterprise.
Renowned Fashion designer Omar Mansoor shares his
creative ideas on marketing Pakistan while wondering
on the marvels the country is made of. Dre. Suhail
Chuightai, President WCOP-UK touches upon the vital
themes of integration empowerment and how WCOP
relishes and incorporates both of these values in our
practices. He also introduces the high achievers from
WCOP-UK who are inspiring the British Pakistanis.
In this issue, two statutory organisations set up to
serve the Overseas Pakistanis have been briefly
introduced. Overseas Pakistanis Foundation is a
federal entity set up in 1980s to look after the interests
of Overseas Pakistanis. While Punjab Overseas
Pakistanis Commission is a new body formed through
the act of provincial parliament. It is imperative that
Overseas Pakistanis provide feedback to both of these
organisations and remain involved in the process.
Reverend Rana Youab Khan, member WCOP Board
of Governors and former assistant of the Archbishop
of Canterbury mulls over promoting coexistence &
togetherness for Pakistanis in their lands of adoption.
Our title story can’t be other than the youngest Nobel
laureate Malala Yusafzai. We tried taking a snapshot
of her amazing journey which has inspired billions of
people beyond the division of colour and creed. We
hope this story will touch many hearts and warm them
up to what Malala proudly stands for and is all about.
This year WCOP’s signature event ‘Integration Dinner’
attracted participants form more than 32 nationalities
including Olympians, footballers, celebrated writers
and analysts, and high achievers from consulting,
finance, health, fashion, nonprofit, interfaith, education,
engineering, government, technology, diplomacy,
training & development , coaching and media
industries. Our comprehensive report sums up the
message delivered by the Deputy Prime Minister Nick
Clegg.
WCOP also supported Oxford Union Pakistan Society
in organising 4th Pakistan Future Leaders Conference
at the historic Oxford Union. The event attracted
more than three hundred students from the intuitions
of higher learning from the UK who were inspired by
the talks of Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani, the former Prime
Minister of Pakistan, WCOP Chairman Sajjad Karim,
Professor Andrew Hamilton, Vice-Chancellor of the
University of Oxford, OB Jones, Matthew McCartney
and several other brilliant speakers. Our inclusive
report details the brain teasing discussions and
interactions held during the three day-long event.
It is also a pleasure publishing a success story from
Pakistan. Akhuwat, an interest free microfinance
organisation that started in 2001 happened to become
the largest organisation of its own kind. It has changed
and affected millions of lives for better by inspiring
them coming out of the cycle of debt and dependence.
WCOP also held special prayers to express solidarity
with the innocent martyrs of the APS Peshawar. Their
spirit, resolve and grit will keep us steadfast in our fight
against the darkness of extremism.
In the end I would express my gratitude to all authors
of the articles in this issue. These contributions have
required a generous contribution of time and effort.
The publication of this magazine cannot be sustained
without consistent support from our Editor-in-Chief Dr.
Humayon Dar. It is this willingness to make the effort to
share knowledge, concerns and special insights with
the Overseas Pakistani community at large that has
made this issue possible. Happy reading and please
feel free to contribute to the upcoming issue!!
Arif Anis Malik
Executive Director WCOP
From Editor’s
Desk
Arif Anis Malik
Magazine Editor
arif.malik@wcop.org.uk

Omar Mansoor is a London
based fashion designer of
Pakistani origin, best known
for his couture occasion wear.
He dresses British actresses
and International royalty and
European aristocracy. Mansoor
is widely credited with re-
introducing the fusion clothing
into modern fashion.
Omar Mansoor
Fashion Designer
Marketing
Pakistan
a certain positioning attributes that
the brand managers cultivate in the
minds of its audience.
Perception is almost equal to reality.
Funnily, sometimes perception may
be larger than the reality. However
perceptions are created and can be
recreated. Normally, the ministry of
industries and trade and the ministry
of tourism are responsible for creating
marketing plans for pitching unique
selling points of the country to attract
its target audience. A smaller country
like Sri Lanka, which had been
suffering from terrorism for almost two
decades, declared 2011 as the year
to visit Sri Lanka and their successful
campaigning of this invitation has
brought them record tourists this year.
Their immensely successful marketing
of packaging the cricket world cup
with special offers was a classic
example of how a planned effort can
get huge dividends for a country
which is literally a one city wonder
and a drop in the ocean. Not too far
from Sri Lanka is Maldives that is even
smaller and has just a few beaches to
talk about, but its colourful marketing
campaign of “the Sunny side of
Maldives” has made most residents of
this micro island millionaires.
Bangkok, the tourist hub, the global
logistics centre-point, the fun and
frolic capital has become a stronghold
of political unrest, military divisiveness
and bloodshed unlimited, as the
Red Shirt opposition of the ex-prime
minister, Thaksin Shinawatra, has
made life almost impossible for the
incumbent Prime Minister Abhisit
Vejjajiva. Such incidents are, of
course, damaging for any country’s
economy, especially an economy like
Thailand where six percent of the
GDP is dependent on tourism. The
government, realising the potential
enormity of the damage, is taking
serious steps not only to control this
rioting but, regardless of the situation,
has also instructed its relevant
ministries to speed up a marketing
campaign to neutralise the damage
done to the Thai image and ensure
that the great Thai attractions are
publicised and advertised enough
to neutralise the negativity with
positivity.
It is crucial that the government hire
country-branding experts to develop
a campaign designed to market the
many unique selling points of the
country to counter the negativity
in perception about Pakistan. The
campaign theme can be built around
the slogan ‘Pakistan, naturally
beautiful’, showing the breathtaking
mountain peaks, green valleys and
lakes abounding in the country along
with the diverse culture of the four
provinces. The advertising campaign
has to be coupled with some very
clever lobbying so that powerful
media groups like the CNN and BBC,
as well as top international magazines,
not only show documentaries on
the fantastic customs practised
in the remoter areas of Pakistan
but also air documentaries which
show the moderate side of
Pakistan where women and less
privileged communities of society
have performed wonders in many
professional, social and athletic fields.
Pakistan is blessed with many
more attractions, cultural and
geographical. With one of the highest
mountain ranges in the world, from
green valleys to grey deserts, from
riverbanks to seaside, with unique
historical and archaeological sites, it
is indeed a marketer’s dream as far
as having a choice of positioning the
country is concerned. Regular runs
of this campaign on global media will
definitely give the target audience a
‘In luxury fashion, what matters
most is your branding.’
I
was advised by my teacher
at the London School of
Fashion Design. Since
then I tried to ensure that
my brand communicated
everything I do, consciously
or subconsciously, regardless
of whether you realize it or
not.
How much important a brand
could be in the consumer’s
mind or let me put it as how
much the beauty could be
inserted in eyes of beholder!
This is a globally competitive
world and countries, like
products, have to compete
with each other for investor
and tourist attention.
Countries, like people and
products, are not born with an
image and need a designed
and cultured effort to produce
a deliberate image based on

chance to associate this country with something other
than the stories of bomb blasts and corruption. Even
if the government were to announce a competition
of creating a campaign for branding Pakistan and
fund it through a public/ private partnership, in
case their bankrupt coiffeurs cannot afford it, the
response from the talent available in this country will
be overwhelming. Such an effort to rebrand Pakistan
with professional campaigns is the need of the hour to
dilute the terrible perception that is being reinforced
by a media totally indifferent to the disastrous impact
of the scandalous projection of this country.
In a global world where the media has eliminated
distances, where telecom advances have made
news reports a mere thumb-press away, where social
networking has created relationships by just a status
update, it is imperative that a repositioning exercise
of Pakistan be undertaken with zeal and purpose.
The advantage of this seamless virtual connectivity in
the world is that the good news travels just as fast as
the bad news. What gets seen, talked and debated
gets entrenched in the psyche of the audience.
Unfortunately, our local media has been a party to
feeding the international media on the negative news
about the country without playing a positive role in
presenting the brighter side of the picture. While
the other countries in the region have perfected the
art of marketing and exaggerating their otherwise
little know strengths, Pakistan has surpassed in its
pursuit of highlighting and splashing its weaknesses.
A reverse strategy can not only do damage control to
the battered international perception of the country
but also help lift the bruised spirits of the people of this
nation.

Integration,
Empowerment
& WCOP
President: WCOP-UK
Orthopaedic Surgeon &
Microsoft Certified Specialist
CEO: Award winning
Medico-legal Firm & TVapex
London Chair: Association of
Pakistani Physicians/
Surgeons-UK
Vice President: Brain Trust UK
Dr Suhail Chughtai, FRCS
I
t will be pertinent to
look at the genesis of
the organisation while
exploring its core values.
World Congress of Overseas
Pakistanis (WCOP) is a non-
political social enterprise
founded by Syed Qamar
Raza and Arif Anis Malik
in 2012 along with the
senior members of board
of governors with the vision
to empower the Overseas
Pakistanis constituting the
7th largest Diaspora in
144 countries of the world.
WCOP has been conceived
as a global organisation
to empower the Overseas
Pakistanis all over the world
by promoting integration
and coexistence in the
lands of adoption. WCOP
intends to build bridges
of understanding among
the lands of adoption and
Pakistan by promoting
discourse, interaction,
understanding, cooperation, tourism,
entrepreneurship & enterprise.
The objectives of WCOP are based
upon two wider areas namely
“integration and empowerment of Overseas
Pakistanis in the country of their settlement
outside Pakistan”.
Pakistani Diaspora or overseas
Pakistanis are migrant Pakistani
citizens as well as persons of Pakistani
descent settled abroad. The figures
from credible sources indicate that
there are around 7.5 million Pakistanis
outside Pakistan with UK inhabiting
1.3 million of them (thus making it the
largest settled population outside
Pakistan). Pakistani expatriates have
remitted 55 billion US dollars in the
last five years to their friends and
families in Pakistan.
Three Models of a Multicultural
Society
Pakistanis living abroad whether as
settled citizens, long term residents
or short term visitors are exposed
to three models of a multi-cultural
society formation:
A) Segregation
The communities based upon religion,
culture, nationality or strong beliefs
are kept separate, discouraging any
cross-communication thus preventing
any significant relationships even
though they live in the same area.
These pockets of segregation
gradually become wider and wider
thus setting up a vicious cycle
of further division between the
communities living in one country but
mentally far apart.
B) Assimilation
Major flow of cultural and life style
based osmosis is from the majority
group though the majority culture
may adopt certain elements from the
minority cultures it has absorbed such
as vocabulary, food, certain cultural
habits thus making them part of a
unified whole.
C) Integration
Britain being a multicultural society,
serves as a great proponent of
the integration model, also called
multiculturalism. In this country,
the cultural minorities are allowed,
and to some extent expected and
encouraged, to keep their distinctive
traits like social and cultural values
as long as they adapt to a common
and more or less minimal framework
of norms and values that guarantee
a well-functioning society assisting
democracy, promoting respect for
human dignity and developing cross-
cultural tolerance.
What Integration is important?
Integration (from the Latin integer,
meaning whole or entire) generally
means combining parts so that they
work together or form a whole.
When several cultures exist within one
society (multiculturalism), this gives
birth to a situation that may evolve
in many different ways. Important
benefits can be reaped from
cultural diversity such as enhanced
gastronomy, increased cross-cultural
competencies, mental flexibility and
tolerance in the population, artistic
blossoming, social and political
innovations, economical growth

Ms Bashan Rafiq – Chair
person, UK-APWA
Mrs Amty Naeem – CEO,
Texheeb London (Pak Fashion
range outlet)
Mr Gul Nawaz Khan –
Immigration Solicitor, Principal
Addison Khan Law Firm
Mrs Muniza Baseer –
Chairperson, Nazia Hassan
Foundation
factors and much more. However, it may also present
important challenges, such as discrimination, conflicts
and a feeling of alienation – especially if the human
tendency to spoil perfectly good opportunities is
given free rein. This leads to the need for societies
that include different cultures to make certain choices
concerning how they wish to respond to this situation:
the stakes are high, and indecision represents too
great a risk. Traditionally, multicultural societies have
chosen between three models.
In WCOP’s perspective of integration, the state
collective integration are considered to have been
achieved when the migrant population develops a
regard for local values, understanding for the local way
of life and social customs and enhanced respect for
the law of the land in the country of their settlement
but at the same time carry a sense of pride for the
country of origin by practising social customs of
Pakistani culture. However, we should not forget that
integration is a two-way street and the best outcomes
are only possible when the host culture also welcomes
the migrant population and reinforces their new
identity through inclusion, respect for their culture and
creed and lowering the discrimination.
The integration is considered to be truly achieved
when both segments of the above definition are
prevented to develop any friction between them, i.e.,
emigrants living in the country of their settlement
freely enjoy and progress in the society while learning
how to avoid a conflicting situation that can defeat the
progress of integration and vice versa.
Preventing such situation is an art and ability which
comes with years of conscious effort and practice.
WCOP promotes this approach and attitude of
Overseas Pakistanis thus promoting multiculturism
while preserving our values, customs, self-esteem and
pride.
Why Empowerment is Important?
The other goal of WCOP is to strive for empowerment
of overseas Pakistanis which we consider as a social
responsibility and a due payback from the affluent and
educated overseas Pakistanis to their underprivileged
counterparts.
Adding to the existing skill sets, whether they are for
earning money or to gain higher social respect in the
society, is a concept well supported by WCOP. We
believe that such personal development at individual
level is incredibly useful to step up economic viability
of overseas Pakistanis on individual and collective
level but also to raise their image as ambassadors of
Pakistan.
How WCOP aims to achieve the objectives of
Integration and Empowerment of Overseas
Pakistanis?
Our vision is to engage individuals and organisations
with higher capability and potential and work along
with them on common objectives. WCOP-UK has
recently been formed and my intention is to set up
a prototype of structure which serves as a model in
other settlements. Here is how I think we would be in a
better position to achieve our goals.
I propose a four prong structure of WCOP-UK with the
following elements (responsibilities specified in detail
in the charter):
• Board of Governors
• Board of Executive Advisors
• Panel of Experts
• Friends of WCOP
Board of Governors –WCOP-UK has shortlisted highly
capable individuals in the process of appointment
as members of the Board of Governors with proven
set of skills in their chosen professional field. These
individuals have highly acclaimed for the community
work at a leader status of a prominent organization.
The list of these professionals includes:

Ms Shabana Khan – Director,
International Institute for the
British Education
Mr Ayub Ghauri – SVP at NetSol
Technologies
Dr Asim Shafiq – Chairperson,
Nazia Hassan FoundationProf Dr Ahmed Khan – Vice
President Brain Trust UK
Ms Hina Malik – Social Activist
and PR Manager, Aeronautical
Engineer
Mr Francis Sealey – Chairman
GlobalNet21, a social enterprise
Mrs Nadia Chaudary – CEO:
CivilizAsian, Business woman and
Politician
Mr Ray Keene – Chess
Grandmaster, lecturer and
Columnist
• Mrs Faiza Ishtiaq – Director, Capital Care Services
Ms Durdana Ansari – OBE
Renowned Broadcaster at BBC
Ms Aneeqa Malik – CEO Loop
Global, a PR Firm
Ms Faz Zia – Columnist, PR &
EventManagement Firm owner
Ms Shehneela Ahmed – Solicitor
Criminal Law and First Muslim
Woman as an FA approved
Football Agent
Ms Rabia Bhatti – Youngest
Pakistani female Councillor
Board of Executives – WCOP-UK has also shortlisted
individuals with special skills and expertise. Their
contribution to the organization would be their multi-
talented approach to carry the message of WCOP
forward and encourage our membership drive. The list
of these experts so far includes:

Mr Tariq Suleman – Researcher,
International Politics
Dr Zaituna Shah - Fellow at oxford university, Professor
at Kuwait University, Advisor to the United Nations.
Mr Gul Nawaz
Khan –Immigration
Solicitor
Mr David Wardrop
– President, United
Nation Associations
Westminster UK
Mr Chris Day – Chief Arbiter,
World Memory Championship
Panel of Experts– For WCOP-UK, this panel
of experts provides information and guidance
in achieving WCOP’s strategic goals through
collaboration and interdependence:
Friends of WCOP – These professional organisations
have joined hands to arrange and collaborate events
to support mission, vision and objectives of WCOP in
the United Kingdom:

A
s WCOP intends to promote knowledge,
understanding and cultural harmony with
international communities existing in the UK
and abroad so the Board of Governors approved
of collaboration with World Memory Championship
whose UK Open was contested in London on 21st
and 22nd of August, 2014. WCOP Co-Chairman, Syed
Qamar Raza, WCOP UK president Dr. Suhail Chughtai,
WCOP Governors Mahboob Chaudhry and Sajid Atta
Khan and Executive Director Arif Malik attended the
competitions and the closing ceremony.
The UK Open Memory Championships, which was
held at the Apex Conference Centre in Ilford on August
21st and 22nd, and sponsored by TV Apex, attracted
competitors not just from the UK but also from Poland,
Spain, Germany, Netherlands, Algeria, France and
Sweden.
Because the World Memory Championships are taking
place in Hainan in China in December 2014, many
competitors come to the UK Open to assess how well
prepared they are to compete on the world stage
when around 150 competitors will be taking part.
Syed Qamar Raza congratulated the participants,
contestants, organizer and collaborators of the event.
He observed that Tony Buzan and other fellows at
the Brain Trust inspired and impacted millions of lives
all over the world by breaking new paths in learning,
creativity and innovation. ‘What truly inspires me is
their pledge and commitment to make difference in the
world by rising above the stereotypes and differences
of caste, colour and creed. WCOP fully supports their
endeavour of making this world a better place.’ He
commented.
‘World Memory Championship is a noble endeavour
World Memory
Championship
World Congress ofOverseas Pakistanis
Ayub Ghauri is a seasoned
marketing and media
professional possessing
more than 20 years of
industry experience. He
holds a business degree
from prestigious California
State University-Northridge.
Currently, Ayub is responsible
for image building, brand
building, PR, Internal and
External communications and
data mining. He works closely
with Marketing teams in US,
UK, Thailand and China to
develop strategies for greater
market share. He is an SVP
of NetSol Technologies and
memberBoard of Executives of
WCOP-UK.
Ayub Ghauri

which was started to optimise the human potential
as it may change the academic, economic and social
landscape of the world. The Championship is welcome
to go to Pakistan where few of the world’s most
intelligent students and practitioners will compete
with the best brains of the world.’ Syed Qamar Raza
Co-Chairman World Congress of overseas Pakistanis
announced in the concluding ceremony of UK Open of
World Memory Championship.
WCOP UK President and Vice President Brain Trust
UK Dr. Suhail Chughtai pledged support of learning
and development initiatives taken by the Brain Trust.
He shared that the one of the biggest achievement of
memory Championship is that it broke new pathways
in terms of possibilities of human achievement. He
informed the participants of the latest research
in memory and human attainment and pledged
TVapex and WCOP would continue supporting such
endeavours in the future.
WCOP Executive Director Arif Anis Malik concluded
the ceremony and hoped that one day athletes of mind
sport would be able to attract world’s attention to the
extraordinary achievements in the field.
Since Tony Buzan held the very first World Memory
Championships in 1991 the sport has grown from just
seven competitors to thousands today who practice
the sport in over 33 countries.
The Mind Sport of Memory is not about general
knowledge of having a head full of facts, but of
measuring the ability of competitors to memorise new
information, in ten different ‘memory disciplines’ in a
fixed period of time, and recall them accurately against
the clock. The techniques that competitors learn to
help them to do this in competitions also helps them in
every other area of life and helps them become better
at study, exams and all aspects of business life.
The sport is supported by The Brain Trust and
organized by the World Memory Sports Council which
provides arbiters to ensure that every competition is
run to the same standards. National competitions
are held over two days, but international events have

longer times for memorisation and recall and take
three long and grueling days of hard mental effort.
WCOP’s collaboration was hugely appreciated by
the participants from different countries. Most of
them appreciated the support and expressed their
curiosity about knowing more about Pakistan and how
mind sports and personal development endeavours
are supported in Pakistan so it gave opportunity to
project Pakistan and Diaspora in positive light. The
climax came when WCOP Co-Chairman offered the
organisers to take World Memory Championship to
Pakistan which was enthusiastically appreciated by
the participants. Later, discussions were made to
explore the possibility and it seems that World Memory
Championship competitions may be held in Pakistan in
the later part of 2015. Mind sciences competition may
prove a huge opportunity to galvanise thousands of
students and professionals in Pakistan by promoting
a positive activity where the intelligent students from
Pakistan have the opportunity to bring glory to the
country.

It gives me great pleasure that our Democratic
Government is determined to fight challenges like
terrorism and energy crisis and provide maximum relief
to the common man. The Government is sincerely
making efforts to come up to the expectations of the
nation, who gave them the mandate to resolve their
problems.
After assuming the charge as Federal Minister
for Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource
Development, it was my first priority to ensure merit and transparency in
the Ministry and its attached departments. This Ministry has the mandate to
generate employment opportunities abroad and to look after the welfare of the
dependents of the overseas Pakistanis and the local employees. Organizations
like, Overseas Pakistanis Foundation (OPF), Workers Welfare Fund (WWF),
Employees Old-age Benefit Institution (EOBI), Bureau of Emigration & Overseas
Employment (BE&OE) and Overseas Employment Corporation (OEC) have been
directed to enhance their efforts to increase manpower export and properly
look after the welfare of the local employees and the dependents of the
overseas Pakistani community.
We are facing lot of challenges, in economic and energy sectors and flood crisis
etc and sincerely hope that the government under the dynamic leadership of
Prime Minister Mian Nawaz Sharif will soon overcome these problems.
I, as the Federal Minister of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource
Development, assure my best cooperation and help for employees,
businessmen and overseas Pakistanis as they are the backbone of Pakistan
and are injecting billions of dollars in our economy.
I believe that the valiant people of Pakistan have the will to work together and
take the country out of the present crisis and make it a strong welfare state.
Pir Syed Sadaruddin Shah Rashidi
Federal Minister
MESSAGE FROM
MINISTER OVERSEAS PAKISTANIS & HUMAN RESOURCE
DEVELOPMENT
Tariq is member Board of
Executives of WCOP-UK. He
is an expert on Palestine issue
and teaches at the renowned
School of Asian & African
Studies (SOAS) at University of
London. He also contributes
expert analysis to BBC and
other world services.
Tariq Suleman
In this issue, we are specially
introducing two statutory
organisations formed for
the purpose of serving the
Overseas Pakistanis. Oversea
Pakistanis Foundation is federal
in nature and is in third decade
of its existence. While the
Punjab Overseas Pakistanis
Commission, a provincial
organisation with its jurisdiction
over Punjab province, has been
recently formed through an
act of provincial parliament.
We have tried to introduce
both of these organisations to
Overseas Pakistanis as majority
of them seem to be unaware
of their scope and function.
Both of the organisations seem
quite robust on the paper
in terms of their vision and
objectives. However, their
actual on-ground performance
and their impact on the lives of
Overseas Pakistanis are yet to
be assessed.
The Statutory
Organisations for
Overseas Pakistanis

P
akistan has remarkable and laudable human
resource which is characterized by hard work,
dedication and distinction. Our human resource
is classified into the categories of professional, non-
professional, skilled, semi-skilled and un-skilled.
Due to rapid increase in population and developing
economy, it is not possible to provide jobs to all. The
Ministry, therefore, focuses on availing all the overseas
opportunities. To ensure meaningful employment
to our workforce and its export we have Overseas
Pakistanis Foundation (OPF), Workers Welfare
Fund(WWF), Bureau of Emigration & Overseas
Employment(BE&OE), Overseas Employment
Corporation(OEC), Employees Old-age Benefits
Institution(EOBI) and National Industrial Relation
Commission(NIRC) who are also looking after the
welfare of local workers and overseas Pakistanis and
their families through dedicated performance. Our
Community Welfare Attaches (CWAs) are also working
in more than 17 foreign countries and are devoting
their efforts to the welfare of overseas Pakistanis and
safeguarding their interest.
The Foundation works under the administrative control
of the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis & Human
Resource Development Government of Pakistan.
The mandate of OPF covers its registered members
Overseas and their families in Pakistan, Azad Jammu &
Kashmir.
In the wake of the large migrant flows out of Pakistan
in the 1970s, the Overseas Pakistani Foundation was
formed under the Emigration Ordinance, 1979. While
registered as an autonomous company under the
Companies Act 1913, it works under the administrative
supervision of the Ministry of Labour, Manpower, and
Overseas Employment.
The board of directors, which governs the organisation
is appointed by the Federal government, and chaired
by the Minister of Labour, Manpower and Overseas
Employment.
Objectives of the Organisation
The overarching goal of the OPF is to guard rights
and advance the social welfare of Pakistanis working
or settled abroad and their families in Pakistan.
Specifically, the objectives of the organisation can be
categorised into the following:
1. To advance the social welfare of the Pakistanis
working or settled abroad and their families in
Pakistan by Identifying their problems and by
contributing to their solutions.
2. Grant scholarships and stipends for studies to
deserving overseas Pakistanis children.
3. To provide financial support to community centres,
mosques and libraries established overseas and
for organising of seminars and national day events.
To Receive & Manage To Receive
1. Welfare Fund created under the Emigration
Ordinance 1979, generate, raise and collect funds.
2. The custodian-ship of security deposits of the
Overseas employment promoters.
3. The money of the Foundation in such a manner as
may from time to time be determined.
To Establish & Manage:
• Vocational training institutions.
• Housing societies & colonies.
• Educational/religious institutions.
• Foundation offices & branches.
• Commercial, Industrial or service enterprises.
• Moveable & immovable properties and Health
care centers.
To realise the above goals, the OPF is also
mandated to establish and manage vocational
training institutions, housing societies and colonies,
educational/religious institutions, foundation offices
and branches, commercial, industrial or service
Overseas
Pakistanis Foundation
An Introduction

enterprises, and health care centers. The OPF
headquarters in Islamabad, and provincial counterparts
and offices in countries of significant Pakistani
presence carry out these efforts.
Specific Services provided by the OPF
Education and Training
The OPF participates actively in the education sector,
and manages a boys’ college in Islamabad as well as
22 public schools in the country. While OPF members
are provided preferential treatment in these schools,
the OPF has also managed to obtain reserved seats
for the children of overseas employees in a number of
public schools and colleges.
The OPF also organises vocational training, whereby
it has enabled trainees to seek jobs both in foreign
countries as well as locally.
Health and Emergency Services
OPF also has a presence in the health sector, and in
return for financial support to certain hospitals such as
the Al-Shifa Hospital in Rawalpindi, OPF members and
their families receive treatment at preferential rates.
In case of the death of an emigrant in a foreign country,
OPF arranges for the transportation of the dead body
to the residence of the deceased in Pakistan.
Repatriation of Pakistanis in emergencies
During the gulf war in 1991, and the Yemen crisis
of 1994, the OPF played a prominent role in not
only repatriating Pakistanis but also in channeling
compensation from the United Nations to the affected
people.
Pension Schemes
The pension scheme, while open for all OPF members,
is particularly relevant for emigrants to the Gulf,
since their tenures are fixed and return migration
is inevitable. The scheme is flexible, and self-
contributory. There are two main plans, depending on
whether contributions are lump sum or annual, and the
contributions are set at a minimum of Rs. 24,000 for
the annual payment plan and Rs. 120,000 for the lump
payment plan.
Perhaps more importantly, the pension plan doubles
as an insurance scheme, in case of the death of the
subscriber (even prior to maturity of the payment
period), the pension is forwarded to the subscriber’s
nominee and then children, till the youngest child turns
18.
Remittance Card
The remittance card is a scheme initiated to encourage
the channeling of remittances through former banking
channels. In lieu of such transfers, expatriates are
offered services such as duty free import (personal
baggage) up to a limited amount and services such as
free urgent renewal of passports and separate, fast
track emigration counters at airports.
Housing
In an effort to help emigrants setup residence in
Pakistan, the OPF has planned and established a
large number of housing schemes in different cities
of the country including Islamabad, Lahore, Gujrat,
Faisalabad, Peshawar, Dadu, Larkana and Mirpur.
Publication
The monthly magazine “Yaran-e-Watan” regularly
informs subscribers to the latest initiatives taken by the
OPF.
Board of Governors:
1. Pir Syed Sadaruddin Shah Rashidi, Federal
Minister for Overseas Pakistanis & Human
Resource Development – Chairman (Ex-Officio)
2. Mr. Sikander Ismail Khan, Federal Secretary,
for Overseas Pakistanis & Human Resource
Development, Member (Ex-officio)
3. Mr. Habib Ur Rehman Khan, Managing Director,
Overseas Pakistanis Foundation Islamabad.
Member (Ex-officio)
4. Dr. Waqar Masood Khan, Federal Secretary,
Ministry of Finance. Member (Ex-officio)
5. Mr. Aizaz Ahmed Chaudhry, Federal Secretary,
Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Member (Ex-
officio)
6. Lt Gen (Retd) Muhammad Alam Khattak HI(M), T Bt
Federal Secretary, Ministry of Defence. Member
(Ex-officio)
7. Mr. Tariq Bajwa, Chairman, Federal Board of
Revenue, Islamabad. Member (Ex-officio)
8. Mr. Ashraf Mahmood Wathra, Governor, State Bank
of Pakistan Karachi. Member Ex-officio)
9. Sheikh Salahuddin, Member
10. Engr. Usman Khan Tarrakai, Member
11. Syed Tayyab Hussain, Member
12. Mr. Masud M.Khan, Member
13. Mr. Muhammad Asghar Qureshi, Saudi Arabia,
Member
14. Mr. Tariq Siddiqui, USA, Member
15. Syed Qamar Raza, UK, Member
16. Mr. Muhammad Akram Ayoub Choudhary, UK,
Member
17. Raja Liaqat Ali, UK, Member
18. Mian Munir Ahmed Hans, Dubai, Member
19. Mr. Tasneem Syed, Canada. Member
20. Mr. Mumtaz Ali Bhatti, Secretary BOG,

Punjab
Overseas Pakistanis Commission
An Introduction
(a) three members of the
Provincial Assembly of
the Punjab belonging
to those districts having
large number of Overseas
Pakistanis to be nominated
by the Chief Minister.
Member
(b) two women having
experience in issues
related to Overseas
Pakistanis to be nominated
by the Government for a
term of three years.
Member
(c) Chief Secretary of the
Government
Member
(d) Senior Member, Board of
Revenue, Punjab.
Member
(e) Chairman, Planning and
Development Board.
Member
(f) Secretary to the
Government, Home
Department.
Member
(g) Provincial Police Officer,
Punjab.
Member
(h) Chairman, Punjab Board of
Investment & Trade.
Member
(i) Chairman, Punjab
Information Technology
Board.
Member
(j) Commissioner. Member/Secretary
‘I
am the second generation of the British Pakistanis
and represent the 7th largest diaspora of the
world. I am aware of the problems faced by the
Overseas Pakistanis settled abroad and that is why I
believe that Overseas Pakistanis Commission Punjab
would play an important role in resolving the problems
of the overseas Pakistanis. It is not a toothless body
as the government had given a constitutional cover
to the Commission and it would be extended all-
out support by the government of Punjab. Overseas
Pakistanis are the ambassadors of the country and
Overseas Pakistanis Commission Punjab has been set
up for resolving their problems. It is a privilege and a
challenge both being appointed the first Commissioner
of the much anticipated body and to redress the
complaints of the Pakistanis living in the Middle East,
Europe, America and other countries. I ensue you
that the Commission would take effective steps for
addressing the complaints of overseas Pakistanis by
working with national spirit and shall spare no effort
for resolving the problems of Pakistanis living abroad.’
These thoughts were expressed by Afzaal Bhatti,
the first Commissioner of the Overseas Pakistanis
Commission Punjab while speaking to Diaspora Bridge
after a reception held in his honour.
The High Commissioner of Pakistan Syed Ibne
Abbas hosted a reception in the honour of Afzaal
Bhatti, the recently appointed Commissioner of the
Punjab Overseas Pakistanis Commission (POPC) at
the High Commission of Pakistan. The reception was
held to educate the community of the watershed
development in order to resolve the problems faced
by Overseas Pakistanis. The said Commission could
be considered the first practical step taken by any
provincial government in Pakistan so far with chances
of being modelled by other provinces of Pakistan.
The gathering was attended by significant number of
community leaders and the media persons.
Commissioner of the POPC, Mr. Bhatti shared that
the Commission consisted of the Chief Minister
Punjab as its Chairperson and an Overseas Pakistani
of noted repute and experience nominated by the
Chief Minister as Vice Chairperson, and the following
members:
Mr. Bhatti shared that two more members (Advocate
General of Punjab and Prosecutor General Punjab
have been also recommended to be added to the list

(a) Two persons to be nominated
by the Commission for a term
of three years.
Member
(b) District Police Officer or Head
of District Police.
Member
(c) Additional District Collector. Secretary/
Member
for which another amendment is under consideration.
There would be an Advisory Council consisting of
Overseas Pakistanis residing in different countries.
This Advisory Council may be constituted for one
or more countries. The Commission may determine
the number of members of an Advisory Council;
and nominate members of an Advisory Council. An
Advisory Council shall make recommendations for the
redressal of grievances of Overseas Pakistanis and
shall forward their complaints and suggestions to the
Commissioner.
Referring to the powers of the Commissioner, he
shared that the Commissioner has been given teeth
to implement the rightful considerations through
transmitting a complaint received from an Overseas
Pakistani to a Government Agency for redressal
or make recommendations for policy changes,
improvements in the system to the Government
or Federal Government on the basis of feedback
received from an Advisory Council or the overseas
Pakistanis. He is also authorized to refer any complaint
of an Overseas Pakistani to the Ombudsman for
further necessary action in accordance with law. The
Commissioner may recommend disciplinary action
against public servants who do not send reply to
the Commissioner within thirty days of the receipt of
reference from the Commission.
The Commissioner could also recommend initiation
of anti-corruption proceedings against a public
servant where, on the basis of preliminary findings,
a prima facie case for criminal action under the
relevant law is made out in relation to protection of
rights of an Overseas Pakistani. Apart from resolving
these practical issues, the Commissioner could refer
the proposals of Overseas Pakistanis relating to
investment to the Punjab Board of Investment and
Trade and ensure their early processing and hold
consultative conventions or workshops involving
Overseas Pakistanis;
One of the prominent features of the Commission is
that when it refers any complaint to a Government
Agency, the Government Agency shall respond
in regards to the complaint within thirty days. All
Government Departments shall appoint senior
officers as focal persons to liaise with the office of
Commissioner for monitoring and disposal of matters
relating to Overseas Pakistanis.
There shall be a District Overseas Pakistanis
Committee in each district consisting of the
Chairperson to be nominated by the Commission for a
period of three years, the District Coordination Officer
as Vice Chairperson and the following members:
The District Committee shall review complaints of
overseas Pakistanis pending with different offices
in the district and expedite their disposal and send
progress reports and suggestions for improvement in
the system to the Commissioner.
Mr. Bhatti promised to visit the UK in the next couple
of months and hold counselling sessions to include
the Overseas Pakistanis in the functioning of the
Commission. He appreciated the services of World
Congress of Overseas Pakistanis and shared his
intentions to include WCOP, UKPCCI and other
leading organisations from the UK in consultative and
implementation process to offer better services to the
Overseas Pakistanis.

P
eople of
Pakistani
heritage living
in the UK are simply
Pakistani Diaspora
but interestingly
this is not the case
with the British
Pakistanis. Whenever
Pakistani Diaspora is
referred anywhere
it is perceived as
synonymous to
Pakistani Muslims,
however we must
not be oblivious of
the fact that Pakistani
Christians , Hindus,
Sikhs and Ahmadis
and a little fraction of
those who have no
religion, make a very
significance part of
Pakistani Diaspora,
no matter how little
in proportion, and all
these communities
of diverse identities
have contributed very
positively to the British
life. In my mind portrait
of Pakistani Diaspora
is more than a bridge
just between the UK
and Pakistan, I rather
see them as a butterfly
Junction to embrace the globe.
While the major faith community
from Pakistan has made valuable
contributions in the fields of politics,
sports and arts, the Christian
community of Pakistan has cultivated
an immense influence in the local
Church. The names of Bishop Michael
Nazir Ali and Bishop Manu Rumaal
Shah may be mentioned who served
here on some very prestigious posts
in the Church of England and humbly
admitted. I too have the unique
honour of being the first Pakistani
Christian ever on Archbishop of
Canterbury’s staff. In addition to that,
a Pakistani Christian James Shera
was the first Asian Mayor in the UK,
the Mayor of Rugby, who had been
continually elected as a councillor
for the last 30 years. There is a road
named after him in Rugby. Again the
name Pakistan is elated through these
contributions to the British life.
Promoting
Coexistence &
Togetherness
Revd Rana Youab Khan is an
Anglican, born and brought
up in Pakistan. He has been
involved with Inter Faith
Relations as well as Justice
and Peace activities and Prison
Ministry in Pakistan for many
years. Although he comes
from a Christian family, he
went to a madrasa (primary
school) attached to a Mosque
in Vehari, Pakistan, which is
very unusual for a Pakistani
Christian. He served as an
advisor to the Bishop of Lahore
on Inter Religious Relations
and had served as a Prison
Chaplain. Another feather in
his cap is that he was the first
ever lecturer of the Hebrew
Language at the Oriental
College, University of Punjab,
and was the first (Indian-
Pakistani) ordained priest
appointed to the faculty of the
University of Punjab since its
foundation in 1870. Revd Rana
worked as the International
Inter Faith Dialogues
Assistant to the Archbishop of
Canterbury and the Anglican
Communion. He is now a priest
in the Diocese of London and
a member Board of Governors
of World Congress of Overseas
Pakistanis.
He regularly writes on various
issues related to interfaith,
intercultural theology and
persecuted religious minorities.
Revd Rana Youab Khan

While looking at the density of the people sharing
the Pakistani origin in the UK and EU, in the UK
alone, British Nationality holder Pakistanis constitute
1.3 million apart from the students and professional.
Having such a big number, they can offer to this
country to build a bridge between UK and Pakistan.
With immense love for Pakistan, the UK has also grown
to be our second home. Therefore, we need to think
of universal patriotism while putting sincere efforts
forward to contribute to Pakistan and the UK.
Mapping the cultural differences and adjustment
issues, it is important to ascertain the troubled image
of the new generation of Pakistanis. The British born
generation of Pakistanis is perceived by few as a
community incompatible with British Culture. I have
my clear differences to this perception. Britain is
a land where multiculturalism is highly celebrated.
Despite it, this is also a reality that Britain has its own
culture, especially England, and we should live here
incorporating with it in such a way that we might adjust
ourselves more comfortably. This may be done to
without appeasing the white Majority in order to find a
better cohesive future for our future generations.
As for the role of British system and the spectrum
of support offered to immigrants he had a very
optimistic view. ‘On one hand some Far Right racial
Organisations namely BNP and EDL are trying to
squeeze space for immigrants in this country and in
such stance they are targeting the biggest Muslim
immigrant community, Pakistanis. Contrary to that, it
is encouraging that all main line political parties and
wider white British community have no sympathy for
these racial groups.
Here it will be pertinent to mention that the British
churches believe that any political movement that
seeks to divide our communities on the basis of
ethnicity is an affront to the true teachings of Christ
and is a grave danger to harmonious community
relationships. Consequently, voting for and/or
supporting any political party that offers racist policies
incompatible with Christian faith is discouraged and
working in partnership with other faith groups, different
ethnicities, mainstream political parties and all people
of goodwill, in building cohesive communities and
affirming our multi-ethnic, culturally and religiously
diverse society Is encouraged. In fact The Church of
England passed an anti-racial resolution in 2009 that
no clergy of the church of England can be a member of
any racial organisation that discriminates others in the
name of race and religion.
As a Pakistani, I sometimes wonder that it would
be great if Pakistani religious organisations could
pass such resolution at any point of history to ban
association of their members to organisation which
promote hatred, division and discrimination. People
who love Pak and want to see it a prosperous and
peaceful country need to stand up and be more vocal
and proactive against these sort of intolerant and
violent activities which have nothing to do with our
cultural heritage. British Pakistanis can really help
Pakistan and Pakistanis in this specific aspect in many
ways. The experience of life they have in the UK
needs to be reflected back to Pakistanis. Equality of
opportunities, mutual respect, religious freedom and
democracy are the blessings

which have found greater acceptance in our homeland.
If I have to enlist the biggest challenge faces by Pakistan, I would
emphasise on the significance of restoring the value system more
than anything else. Sometimes we think Pakistan’s major problem is
energy crisis, law and order, violence, political instability and what not.
Whereas, in my view, it is actually the mistrust amongst communities,
the lack of love and concern for others and social injustice, that are
posing the real threat in Pakistan. South Asia has a long history of
diversity and coexistence but the present wave of segregation, set by
religious intolerance is setting the bridges on fire which communities
built in that area over centuries.
When we look at the genesis of Pakistan, it was built on the principles
of protecting minority rights. However, a lack of good governance and
certain wrong have deprived Pakistan of its original ethos. Moreover,
the misdirected policies have added fuel to the fire. People of Pakistani
heritage in the UK are in a unique position to help Pakistan by sharing
their positive experiences in the UK in order to help Pakistan grow a
sense of national community. Only then can we convey the idea and
lend a hand in improving the economy, stabilising the political situation
and support in improving Pakistan’s image by enhancing community
cohesion and building trust among the communities. In London alone,
there are more than 100 different faith communities, and people from
almost every corner of the world. Despite this, they are getting on with
one another very well. Though the situation is far from being ideal but
that signifies that communities may coexist and collaborate together
effectively.
We can also learn a great deal from the recent history of the British
missionaries serving in Pakistan. For instance, British missionaries,
despite of their British background did not use any privileges during
the British Raj but lived simple lives to correspond to the standards
of the poor people of the land so that they could relate to them
easily. They dedicated their lives to educate the uneducated and
provide health facilities to the marginalised local people in the Indian
Subcontinent. Their services continued even after the partition or
establishment of Pakistan. The schools, colleges and hospitals, they
built are still serving Pakistanis regardless of their race, creed and
ethnicity. However, to save ourselves from the venom of hatred and
ignorance, the people of Pakistani heritage living in West can enter
the scene sharing the values practised here to promote cohesion and
stand in unity against all those discriminations in our country of origin
that are taking toil on our growth as a nation.
Diaspora communities can be hugely helpful for Pakistan to improve
its image in Britain and wider Western context. The more integrated
we are, better and effective our impact will be. It is very important that
the Pakistani Diaspora is actively involved in all sorts of community
cohesion activities and do whatever they can for the common good.
They should try to meet the needs of people in Britain, regardless
their faith and ethnicity, and to pose and present themselves as a
community which is not over-obsessed of the country of origin but
have a great hope and passion for their country of settlement. It
does not mean people should forget their past and identity, rather, I
suggest, that new identities should be given way to emerge through
the acceptance of the fact that we have migrated from a place to
a new place and both have contributed to what we are today. This
positive stance is the way forward! Let new identity(s) emerge from our
immigration experience!

S
he’s the most celebrated
schoolgirl in the world. The
one who is hosted in the Oval
Room by President Obama himself,
gets Skyped by the secretary-general
of the United Nations, speaks to
heads of states, followed by the
likes of Angelina Jolie, Madonna and
Beyonce who consider her as their
icon.
Even two years back, Deutsche Welle
wrote in January 2013 that Yousafzai
may have become “the most famous
teenager in the world.” United
Nations Special Envoy for Global
Education Gordon Brown launched
a UN petition in Yousafzai’s name,
using the slogan “I am Malala” and
demanding that all children worldwide
be in school by the end of 2015 – a
petition which helped lead to the
ratification of Pakistan’s first Right to
Education Bill. In the 29 April 2013
The
Nobel
Journey
Story of
Malala
Yusafzai
Author & writer Arif Anis Malik
is ranked among Pakistan’s
foremost international
corporate speakers with
expertise in communication,
NLP and leadership. He
is member of the Royal
Commonwealth Society and a
fellow of the RSA (Royal Society
of Arts). He is an expert mentor
at the Institute of Enterprise
and Entrepreneurs (IOEE)
UK and has led educational,
training & consulting projects
for participants from few of
the top FTSE 100 and Fortune
500 companies. Arif Anis Malik
has shared stage with the
global leaders and celebrated
business gurus including
President Bill Clinton, Stephen
Covey, Tony Robbins, Daniel
Goleman, Richard Bandler,
Richard Branson, Robert
Kiyosaki, Donald Trump, Paul
McKenna, Tony Buzan, Brendon
Burchard and James Caan.He
is executive director of WCOP
and editor of Diaspora Bridge
Magazine. He could be reached
at Arif.Malik@wcop.org.uk
Arif Anis Malik
Executive Director WCOP

issue of Time magazine, Yousafzai was featured on the
magazine’s front cover and as one of “The 100 Most
Influential People in the World”. She was the winner of
Pakistan’s first National Youth Peace Prize.
On 10 October 2014, Malala Yousafzai made history
when she was announced as the co-recipient of
the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize for her struggle against
the suppression of children and young people and
for the right of all children to education. At age 17,
Yousafzai is the youngest-ever Nobel Prize laureate.
Rarely does a student get pulled from class to hear
they are the recipient of one of the world’s most
prestigious awards. In fact, it has never happened
yet. Joyful Pakistanis from all over the country
celebrated Malala Yousafzai’s Nobel Peace Prize win
with music, dance and cake, hailing her award as a
victory for girls’ education.
Tributes for the 17-year-old, the youngest ever Nobel
laureate, were led on Friday by Prime Minister Nawaz
Sharif who called her the “pride of Pakistan”, while
dozens of people from her hometown Mingora
gathered at the main intersection to chant slogans and
exchange sweets.
Overseas Pakistanis and many Pakistani women were
largely overjoyed. Most view her achievement as a
well-deserved culmination of a long hard struggle. A
struggle that saw this teenage girl from an educated
family from the Swat Valley, survive a brutal attack to
become a global beacon and an advocate for female
education.
For Pakistanis living in the West, Malala represents
an instantly recognisable counter-point to what the
world perceives about Pakistan which happened to
have to have the first female premiere in the Muslim
World in the late 1980s. Malala’s persona shields many
a Pakistani youth living abroad from a perception that
they hail from a culture that represents a lesser moral
code. For such youth, Malala’s triumph reaffirms, not
only the virtues of moral courage that they have been
raised with, but also the pluralism in the West. At its
core, her winning the Nobel echoes the value-set of
the Pakistani Diaspora living overseas, albeit more
dramatic than most: Talented, hard working, and well-
meaning people are recognised – and rewarded.
I personally got scores of congratulatory comments
from my European and international friends. The lovely
Borsum family from Oslo was totally ecstatic. Social
worker and humanitarian Kjersti Børsum tweeted for
me, ‘We are celebrating for Pakistan, for Malala and
you in Norway today’. These words filled with pride
for the girl who gave all Pakistanis an opportunity to
stand tall and being known for purpose, resilience and
triumph.
Interestingly, on the historic day she became the
Nobel laureate, Malala had waited to complete her
day at Edgbaston High School for Girls, her school in
Birmingham before speaking at the press conference.
“I’m proud that I am the first Pakistani and I am
honoured that I am the first young woman or the first
young person to be receive this award,” Malala told the
world in her first comments after the big news how she
found out she was the joint Nobel Prize winner, during a
chemistry class on Friday morning.
‘I was in chemistry class and we were looking at
electrolytes, it was about 10.15am. I was not expecting I
would get this award, and by 10.15am I was sure I had
not,’ she said.
‘Then my teacher took me to one side and told me, I was
totally surprised.’
‘I decided that I would not leave my school, so I finished
my school time and went to physics and English,’ adding
how all her teachers and school friends had praised her.
Then like a typical Pakistani daughter, she spoke about her
family with love and pride.

‘I want to thank my family, my dear mother, my dear
father. My father did not give me something extra, but
what he did, he did not clip my wings.
‘I am thankful to him for letting me fly.’
‘Normally when I go and speak like this, the only issue
I face is usually that the podium is taller than me,’ the
young winner joked as she took to the stage at Birmingham
Library.
Malala has been championing for girls’ education from
a very early age. When she was 11, she was featured in
a documentary where she spoke about the extremists
opposed to girls education closing girls schools in
Pakistan’s Swat Valley. She also wrote a blog for
the BBC about how girls should be able to get an
education. On October 9, 2012, while riding a school
bus, a Taliban gunman boarded the bus and cried,
“Who is Malala.” She was shot in the head — shattering
her skull — and survived.
From her hospital bed in Birmingham, England, Malala
and her friend Shiza Shahid created the Malala Fund,
a non-profit that aims to educate every girl. In January,
FORBES reported the organization received two
grants totalling $400,000. While the threats have not
ceased, Malala still fights for her cause.
The Nobel Peace Prize committee said: ‘Despite her
youth, Malala Yousafzai has already fought for several
years for the right of girls to education, and has shown
by example that children and young people, too, can
contribute to improving their own situations.
‘This she has done under the most dangerous
circumstances.
‘Through her heroic struggle she has become a
leading spokesperson for girls’ rights to education.’
When a journalist at the press conference questioned
why Malala was given the prize as ‘she has not
achieved anything’, the head of the Nobel Peace Prize
committee Thorbjörn Jagland was swift to hit back and
defend her.
‘How can you say that?! Thanks to Malala, the issue of
children’s rights has been put on the world agenda.’
On July 12, 1997, Malala Yousafzai was born in Mingora,
Pakistan, located in the country’s Swat Valley. For the
first few years of her life, her hometown remained a
popular tourist spot that was known for its summer
festivals. However, the area began to change as the
Taliban tried to take control.
Malala attended a school that her father, Ziauddin
Yousafzai, had founded. After the Taliban began
attacking girls’ schools in Swat, Malala gave a speech
in Peshawar, Pakistan, in September 2008. The title
of her talk was, “How dare the Taliban take away my
basic right to education?”
In early 2009, Yousafzai began blogging for the BBC
about living under the Taliban’s threats to deny her an
education. In order to hide her identity, she used the
name Gul Makai. However, she was revealed to be the
BBC blogger in December of that year.
With a growing public platform, Yousafzai continued to
speak out about her right, and the right of all women,
to an education. Her activism resulted in a nomination
for the International Children’s Peace Prize in 2011. That
same year, she was awarded Pakistan’s National Youth
Peace Prize.
When she was 14, Malala and her family learned that
the Taliban had issued a death threat against her.
Though Malala was frightened for the safety of her
father—an anti-Taliban activist—she and her family
initially felt that the fundamentalist group would
not actually harm a child. But they did and she was
miraculously saved by the urgent support of doctors
from Pakistan Army. The shooting left Malala in critical
condition, so she was flown to a military hospital in

Peshawar. A portion of her skull was removed to treat
her swelling brain. To receive further care, she was
transferred to Birmingham, England.
Once she was in the United Kingdom, Yousafzai was
taken out of a medically induced coma. Though she
would require multiple surgeries—including repair
of a facial nerve to fix the paralyzed left side of her
face—she had suffered no major brain damage. In
March 2013, she was able to begin attending school in
Birmingham.
The shooting resulted in a massive outpouring of
support for Yousafzai, which continued during her
recovery. She gave a speech at the United Nations
on her 16th birthday, in 2013. She has also written an
autobiography, I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up
for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban, which was
released in October 2013.
On October 10, 2013, in acknowledgement of her
work, the European Parliament awarded Yousafzai the
Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought. That same
year, she was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize. She
didn’t win the prize, but was named a nominee again
in March 2014. In August of the same year, Leanin.
Org held a live chat on Facebook with its CEO Sheryl
Sandberg and Yousafzai about the importance of
education for girls around the world. She talked about
her story, her inspiration and family, her plans for the
future and advocacy, and she answered a variety of
inquiries from the social network’s users.
He journey to Nobel Prize shows in many ways that
Malala is simply an ordinary girl. Yet, thrown into
extraordinary circumstances she had the bravery to
continue to speak out and campaign for education and
equality, making her a truly inspirational person. Hers
is a true story of love, loss and tremendous courage,
showing how a single voice can change the world.
I could recollect meeting Malala in May 2013 when
she spoke at the Oxford Union. She was met with an
adoration usually reserved for a pop sensation, not a
political activist. She looked thoroughly aware of the
challenges in store when she quoted a Pashtun saying
that translates to ‘the toughest of all battles is the
battle at home’.
Malala represented most of the Overseas Pakistanis
when she spoke with sorrow about how much she
missed her country, its smells, sights, and most of all,
its sense of community. Despite arriving in the UK in a
coma, her survival chances from a brutal assassination
attempt unclear, Malala had stayed true to her
upbringing. She was dressed in traditional Pakistani
attire, behaved modestly, had poise beyond her years,
and paid respect to the values she was brought up
with. ‘My grandfather was a religious scholar’ she
shared, ‘and he taught me the importance of equality,
family values, and the sanctity of human life’.
Where does she get her resilience from? Malala tells
us that ‘women are stronger than men because, when
God had to choose who to grant the power of giving
birth to, he chose women’. Indeed, whilst Malala’s
father, Ziauddin Yousafzai, is often described as
her source of guidance, Malala in fact attributes her
strength to her mother. ‘My father always encouraged
me to question him, but without my mother’s support
it would not have been possible for our family to
continue fighting for what we believe in. She is my

anchor’.
Sitting beneath the portrait of Benazir Bhutto, the first-
ever female Prime Minister of a Muslim country and the
first Asian woman to head the Oxford Union, Malala
noted that ‘in the future women, rather than men, will
be the ones to change the world’. Whilst lamenting
that she is growing old (despite being the youngest
person in the room) she confirms that she wants ‘to be
a politician, a leader of the people’. Malala said that it
was Bhutto’s example that first showed her that women
could be a force for good in politics.
For someone who advocates the importance of
education, one can’t help but notice that Malala’s busy
schedule this term has meant spending less time at
school than she should. She agrees. ‘I want to focus
on my schoolwork and make sure my studies aren’t
compromised. I know this will mean probably missing
some TV programmes’. There is still so much more to
do and Malala hopes that the Malala Fund will be the
first of many steps forward.
Many of us witnessed in surprise when as Malala
left Oxford, a student ran up to her and breathlessly
announced that although Malala is half her age, she is
her idol and deserved to win the Nobel Peace Prize.
Malala instantly replied ‘I didn’t deserve it. The only
prize I want is to see a world where every child goes to
school’.
Last year, sixteen-year-old Malala Yousafzai brought
down the house in the USA at The Daily Show with Jon
Stewart when asked what she would do if attacked
again by a Taliban gunman.
“I would tell him how important education is and that I
would even want education for your children as well,”
the Pakistani girl said. “That’s what I want to tell you,
now do what you want.”
The audience Tuesday gave her a thunderous ovation,
and Stewart, who listened intently as she spoke, then
made her an offer.
“I know your father is backstage and he is
very proud of you, but would he be mad if I
adopted you?”
The audience roared with laughter. But I believe that
is Malala’s biggest victory. Perhaps even bigger than
winning the Nobel Prize. A traditional Pakistani girl,
representing the tenacious Pakistani spirit most of
the highest achievers from various parts of the world
would dream to adopt.
On Wednesday December 10, 2014, stars and royalty
watched Malala become youngest ever Nobel Peace
Prize winner at the Oslo City Hall, Norway. Hundreds of
millions of viewers were inspired by her gritty remarks
when she said, ‘I tell my story, not because it is unique,
but because it is not,’ Malala said. ‘I am pretty certain
that I am also the first recipient of the Nobel Peace
Prize who still fights with her younger brothers. ‘I
want there to be peace everywhere, but my brothers
and I are still working on that.’ More than 8 million of
Overseas Pakistanis rejoiced with pride along with
hundreds of millions at home for our courageous
daughter and sister who dared to choose the road less
travelled:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less travelled by,
And that has made all the difference.
‘Warm congratulations to Malala Yousafzai & Kailash
Satyarthi for winning the #NobelPeacePrize
- The British Royal Family’s official Twitter account
(@BritishMonarchy)
‘There is no tool for development more effective
than the empowerment of women. Congratulations
Malala & @k_satyarthi. KA #nobelprize2014’- Kofi
Annan (@kofiannan)
‘Want 2 congratulate Malala on Nobel Peace Prize.
Proud as Pakistani 4 her Nobel prize, esp 4 cause of
Education which must b r nat priority.’
- Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI)
‘Malala Yousafzai and Kailash Satyarthi are the
world’s greatest children’s champions. They are two
of my best friends and two of the greatest global
campaigners’
- Former PM Gordon Brown
‘Fantastic news, @Malala and @kailashsatyarth
rightly honoured for their inspirational work
#nobelprize2014’
- Former PM Tony Blair (tonyblairoffice)
‘Thoroughly deserved Nobel Peace Prize awarded
to Kailash Satyarthi and Malala Yousafzai. Excellent
day for children’s rights and education’
- Deputy PM Nick Clegg (@nick_clegg)
The Queen, Clegg and the Indian Prime
Minister: The World Reacts to Malala’s Win

B
ritish Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg, called
for the British Government to work closely
with World Congress of Overseas Pakistanis
to combat radicalism and promote integration and
coexistence. Clegg commended the contributions of
the Pakistani diaspora towards the progress of the
United Kingdom and acknowledged that the Pakistani
community has enriched the country culturally, socially
and politically.
He was speaking at the Second Integration Dinner
organized by the World Congress of Overseas
Pakistanis (WCOP) in London the other day.
Clegg appreciated Pakistani community’s ethos of hard
work and their successful integration into the British
society while also retaining their Pakistani identity.
The Deputy Prime Minister termed the UK-Pakistan
relations as extraordinarily strong and friendly and
assured his government’s continued support to
Pakistan in varied sectors of development.
The 1st Integration Dinner was held in London on
24th June, 2014 at the launching ceremony of World
Congress of Overseas Pakistanis and since then it
became one of the signature event of the organisation.
Integration Dinner was sum of the deliberation over the
YouGov’s survey on the role of the British Pakistanis in
the United Kingdom.
The findings of the
survey, exclusively
conducted for WCOP,
indicated that a
majority of the British
residents looked
at Pakistanis as an
‘excluded’ community
who were happier
among their own
with signs of ‘closed’
and ‘unwelcoming’
gestures to the
mainstream
community. Another
surprising revelation
pointed out that
those people from
outsider communities
who interacted with
Pakistanis were twice
likely to see them
in a positive light
compared to those
who almost never happened to interact with Pakistanis
and mainly perceived them through the lens of media
and the news. WCOP’s
WCOP
Celebrates
2nd
Integration
Dinner
Makhdoom Tariq Mahmood-
ul-Hassan is a business and
law graduate with decades of
premiere legal practice in the
apex courts. He is the chief
executive of Makhdoom Law
Company. He contributes
analysis to various national
newspapers based on his legal
expertise. He is also member
of Board of Governors of
World Congress of Overseas
Pakistan-UK.
Makhdoom Tariq Mah-
mood-ul-Hassan

leadership decided to create such opportunities where
high profile guests from the other communities may
come across their counterparts from Pakistan. The
first dinner in 2013 attracted Baroness Sayeeda Warsi,
then Minister for Foreign & Commonwealth Office and
James Caan, famous celebrity, Zameer Chaudrey,
Chief Executive Bestway Group and approx. 300
guests from 20 different nationalities.
This year a cohesive effort was made by the
organisation to expand on the dinner of the last year
and include the higher tier of achievers from the British
and global communities.
Pakistan Acting High Commissioner to the UK,
Mohammad Imran Mirza, appreciated substantive
progress made by the WCOP in creating better
understanding and fostering stronger bonds
of friendship between the Pakistani and other
communities across the United Kingdom.
He also acknowledged the British Government for its
generous assistance in health and education sectors
of Pakistan.
Mirza particularly thanked Nick Clegg for his support
to Pakistan during the 2010 floods and also towards
securing the GSP Plus status in EU for Pakistan.
A special tribute was paid to the Chairman of WCOP
Dr. Sajjad Haider Karim MEP who has been elected
Member of the European Parliament for three times for
North West England. Karim is the first British Muslim
elected to the European Parliament. He is Chairman
of the European Parliament Friends of Pakistan Group
and Vice-President of the European Parliament’s
Equality and Diversity Intergroup.
Chairman WCOP, Dr Sajjad Karim MEP, said that “Both
Pakistan and the UK are open, outward looking,
ambitious nations, with tremendous strengths and an
ability to face challenges and succeed. The UK has
excelled in providing the best contextual mix to allow
members of the British Pakistani community to excel in
all fields from business and industry to the professions,
from innovators to arts and culture and even politics.
The Pakistani community in Europe has a strong
influence back in the village, city or town in Pakistan
– most often by establishing schools, mosques and
hospitals.’
Syed Qamar Raza said that the WCOP is a global

platform for the overseas Pakistanis which aims to
motivate them all over the world so that they can play
an effective role in national construction and national
development in Pakistan. It also endeavours to enable
the overseas Pakistanis to integrate and participate
in the lands of adoption and the Integration Dinner
reflects the same ambition. He also shared that WCOP
would be going global in the next one year due to
strong interest from the USA, Canada, Australia, Middle
East and other European Countries.
President WCOP Dr Suhail Chugtai explaining the aims
and objectives of the body said that the Integration
Dinner is an annual WCOP event organised to
celebrate diversity and community outreach. ‘WCOP
is a non-political social enterprise and we believe
in working with all mainstream political parties and
policymakers.
He mentioned that the Integration Dinner was being
hosted to help the global community learn about
Pakistan through success stories in humanitarian
services, entrepreneurship and leadership. It is also
an opportunity to network with likeminded people in
academia, media, politics, civil society and diplomacy
to create virtuous circle by empowering each other
through collaborative efforts for common good
and celebrate diversity in an educated, rationale
and humane manner while valuing integration and
coexistence. Chughtai added.
Dr. Chughtai also disclosed that WCOP was taking the
World Memory Championship to Pakistan in the early
next year in collaboration with the Brain Trust, UK.
Simon Hughes MP, Deputy Leader of the Liberal
Democrats and Minister of State for Justice and
Civil Liberties relished his pleasant memories of his
visit to Pakistan. He shared he was much impressed
with the hospitality and resilience of Pakistanis who
have amazing culture, cuisine and set of values. He
recounted several high achiever British Pakistanis who
have brought honour to the UK and Pakistan.
Executive Director & Co-Founder of WCOP Arif Anis
Malik shared that the organisation’s true goal is to
empower Pakistan through empowering the 8 million
Overseas Pakistanis. UK is the home to the largest
Overseas Pakistanis. UK is the home to the largest

settled Pakistani community outside Pakistan. It is the
need of the hour to align our values to the countries
of adoption and integrate into the mainstream
society by contributing to its core values because
the convergence is possible. More successful, high
achievers and grounded Pakistanis would prove an
asset for Pakistan as well as Pakistan has the 7th
biggest diaspora community in the 144 countries of the
world, he added.
The event was exclusively attended by WCOP
Members Board of Governors including Najib Khan,
Majed Chaudhry, Mahboob Chaudhry, Tariq Ramzan
Choudhary, AG Chaudhry, Rana Youab Khan, Suiya
Qureshi, Afzal Mahmood Chaudhry and Sajid Atta
Khan.
At the event the WCOP-UK was formally launched and
the Members Board of Governors and Members Board
of Executives were introduced to the audience. It was
revealed that UNICEF Ambassador and pop sensation
Zoheb Hassan has joined the WCOP Central Board of
Governors.
President Oxford Pakistan Society Faraz Janan Khattak
and others also addressed. Todd Shea (American
singer) enthralled the audience by singing ‘Dil Dil
Pakistan’. The event audience included Olympians,
footballers, celebrated writers and analysts, and
high achievers from consulting, finance, health,
fashion, nonprofit, interfaith, education, engineering,
Government, technology, diplomacy, training &
development , coaching and media industries.
Speakers:

The list of high profile speakers at the event included
the following:
1. Nick Clegg, Deputy Prime Minister and Leader of
the Liberal Democrats
2. Simon Hughes, Minister for Justice & Civil Liberties
and Deputy Leader of Liberal Democrats
3. Imran Mirza, Acting High Commissioner, Pakistan
High Commission
4. Dr. Sajjad Karim MEP, Chairman WCOP
5. Dr. Suhail Chughtai, President WCOP-UK
List of Few Notable Names:
• David Wardrop (Chairman United Nation
Associations, Westminster, London)
• Abdul Buhari, British Olympian and Medallist
• Darren Cheesman, British Olympian and Medallist
• Ruth Lowbridge, Chairperson SFEDI
• Professor Matthew McCartney, Director of the
Contemporary South Asian Studies Programme,
Oxford University
• Andrew Walters, Director Pitman Training
• Baroness Ludford
• Owen Bennett-Jones, Journalist and the hosts of
Newshour on the BBC World Service.
• Dr David Taylor, Senior Teaching Fellow,
Department of Politics and International Studies
• Prof Francesca Orsini, Academic Staff, SOAS South
Asia Institute, Academic Staff, Centre for the Study
of Pakistan
• Dr Matthew Nelson - Academic Staff, SOAS South
Asia Institute, Academic Staff, Centre for the Study
of Pakistan
• Toqeer Nasir, former Director General Lahore
Council of Arts
• Zoheb Hassan, UNICEF Ambassador and
• Ex-Lady Mayor Frances Stainton
• Prince Mohsin Ali Khan
• Dr Ramesh Mehta (Chairman Indian Doctors
Association, UK/Europe)
• Dr Rehman Khan (Chairman Essex Doctors
Association)
• Dr Ishtiaq Rizvi (Capita Care, Nationwide medical
recruitment firm)
Collaborative Organisations:
• Costcutters
• Badarians Group
• Brain Trust UK
• Association of Pakistani Physicians and Surgeons
UK (APPS-UK)
• British Association of Physicians of Indian Origin
(BAPIO)
• Addison Khan Solicitors
• APWA-UK
• GlobalNet21
• United Nations Associations - Westminster, UK

T
he Oxford University Pakistan Society
(OUPakSoc) organised the Pakistan Future
Leaders Conference (PFLC 2014) in collaboration
with World Congress of Overseas Pakistanis. The
three-day moot commenced from October 31 to 02
November during which 250 delegates from more than
24 British universities attended a number of committee
and plenary sessions for deliberations chaired by the
leading experts in their respective fields.
The invited speaker include Yousuf Raza Gillani, a
former Prime Minister Pakistan, Mehmood K. Achakzai,
Chairman Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PKMPA),
Sajjad Karim, a Member of EU parliament, Syed Ibn e
Abbas, Pakistan’s High Commissioner in UK , Kamran
Arif (Co-Chair HRCP), Moeed Pirzada, Saleem Safi,
Lord Mayor of Oxford, Owen Bennet Jones, Prof Ifikhar
Malik and others.
Main speeches of the PFLC 2014 took place at the
world’s most prestigious debating chamber, The
Oxford Union, on 1st and 2nd November, 2014. It
started with a Welcome at the one of the historic
Oxford University landmarks, The Sheldonian Theatre
on the 31st Oct. The Vice Chancellor of the University
of Oxford, Andrew Hamilton, The High Commissioner
of Pakistan Syed Ibn Abbas, and the Lord Mayor of
Oxford Lord M. S. Abbasi, welcomed the delegates
on the behalf of the
University, Pakistan
and the City of Oxford,
respectively.
The second day was dedicated to committee sessions
with various experts. PFLC has been structured
into six committee; namely: social and scientific
entrepreneurship, foreign affairs and international
relations, national security and interior affairs, legal
affairs and human rights, media, health and education.
On the third day, the committee sessions were
concluded in the morning and the recommendations
from the relevant committees were presented in the
historic Oxford Union. Later the keynote speeches
were conducted with the office of the Oxford Union
and the session culminated with former Prime Minister
Syed Yusuf Raza Glani’s speech.
Background:
Oxford University Pakistan Society is a student society
in the University of Oxford for Pakistani nationals,
people of Pakistani ancestry and everyone interested
in Pakistan. It was founded in the 1950s and is one of
the oldest Pakistani societies in the United Kingdom.
The society is renowned for its cultural events and
talks by well-known and influential figures from
Pakistan. It is widely considered to be one of the most
powerful and influential student-run Pakistani societies
in the world.
The Oxford University Pakistan Society (OUPaksoc)
and its partners (SOAS Paksoc and Cambridge Paksoc)
started organising the Pakistan Future Leaders’
Conference (PFLC) as an initiative to bring together
students, academics and policy-makers to discuss and
debate vital issues relating to the Pakistani community
in the UK. The Conference brings together outstanding
students of Pakistani origin here in the UK and helps
4th Pakistan
Future
Leaders
Conference
Oxford
Esther Sonita Das holds master
degrees in Education, English
Literature and ELT. She defines
herself a teacher by passion
and a Christian by faith and
a Pakistani at heart. Esther
contributes to several advocacy
and empowerment focused
community organisations.
Esther Das

them build critical leadership skills to groom them into
successful leaders of the future.
The PFLC aims to give the participants a greater
understanding of their roles as responsible citizens
and serves as a platform for the youth to think
about problems facing the nation and the British-
Pakistani community and propose possible solutions.
Usually, the delegates from all over the UK split into
committees to discuss issues of pertinent importance
to the country. Each committee is chaired by leading
experts in its area of deliberation.
The current body of Pak Society of the Oxford
University includes Faraz Janan Khattak, President,
Rafiullah Kakar - Vice President, Muhammad Khurram
– Secretary, Farukh Arslan – Spokesperson, Mariam
Naveed – Treasurer, Rabia Nazir - Events Coordinator
Day One:
The inauguration gave the audience an opportunity to
listen to Andrew Hamilton, the VC of the University of
Oxford who depicted a brief history of the University
with a special detail of producing hundreds of Oxford
Graduates from Pakistan who left lasting effect
on Pakistan’s social fabric especially Ms Benazir
Bhutto, Imran Khan. He further added that the global
contribution of Oxford is inspiring and challenging
leaders on the world stage. The speech was
concluded with a former declaration of the Opening of
the Conference.
Lord Mayor of the Oxford, Lord M S Abbasi was the
next to hold the stage. He formerly welcomed all the
prestigious guests and participants before defining
a leader as ‘someone who could see the other side
of the horizon’. He emphasised the leader’s quality
of stewardship by sharing a personal example and
emphasised those who look forward to lead at any
stage , in any capacity to cultivate a self-less, honest,

open-minded and objective view point.
Syed Ibne Abbas, Pakistan High Commissioner to
the United Kingdom said, ‘Youth is the future of any
nation. We in Pakistan too have expectations from our
students at Oxford and elsewhere who will have an
important role in shaping the destiny of the country.’
The High Commissioner told the audience that in
order to recognise the importance of youth, the
High Commission was planning to organize a Youth
Convention in early December, this year. He advised
the students to be respectful to local laws and always
remember that each one of them was the Ambassador
of Pakistan.
Abbas lauded the role of over a million strong Pakistani
diaspora in cementing the excellent relations between
the UK and Pakistan. He said the British-Pakistanis had
contributed a lot in the UK’s economic development,
politics, culture and promoting multi-culturalism. The
High Commissioner also commended UK’s support in
health and education sectors of Pakistan.
Speaking about the situation in Pakistan, Syed Ibne
Abbas said despite challenges the country was
moving forward. The democratic traditions were taking
root and a democratically elected, representative
government was at the helm of affairs, he added. The
High Commissioner said that the economy was also
improving and moving in the right direction.
Sjjad Karim MEP opened his speech by an exigent
statement that Pakistan is not facing a shortage of
leaders, but that of leadership. He compared the
governance structure of both the countries and
pointed towards the core need to be addressed by
the future leaders. He invited the Pakistani Diaspora to
stand in this gap and be the resolution by networking
in order to make the best utilization of our existing
resources, especially man power, in the same fashion
as BRIC economies are doing. He challenged the
future leaders to address and carve a way forward
in these words: With every fibre of your being, go for
nation building. He emphasised the reasons WCOP
collaborated with PFLC and asserted to obtain those
objectives.
The stream of speeches was punctuated by the
prize distribution ceremony with diverse categories
where high achievers were recognised and students
exceptional achievements were celebrated. Vice
Chancellor University of the Oxford awarded shields to
Zoheb Hassan, Sajjad Karim MEP, Syed Qamar Raza,
Yasir Ali, Mehrun Nisa and Faraz Janan Khattak.
Day Two & Three: Debates, Deliberations &
Recommendations
The next two days of PFLC kept the similar pace
and shape. The first half of both the days was set
apart for 5 different committee meetings namely:
Health & Education, Media, Internal Affairs, Foreign
Affair, Legal Affairs & Human Rights and Social and
Scientific Entrepreneurship. Each committee was
held at different colleges at University of Oxford
with one appointed leader of discussion paired with
experts contributors and bunch of brilliant graduates
from more than two dozen universities from the UK.
Every Committee was tasked to gather suggestions
and resolutions to conclude the discussions. The
creative flow of the day was then punctuated by the
lunch break which energised people to be attentive
and absorbent to the ideas, shared through expert
speeches in the colossal and awe-inspiring building
of Oxford Union in the afternoon. Each day was
concluded by a televised discussion by gigantic media
talk show hosts from ARY and GEO TV channels. The
TVapex team covered the whole event.
There was an impressive list of speakers in the
afternoon sessions. On the 1st of November, Prof
Iftikhar Malik , a history professor at Bath University
opened the session. He depicted a beautiful
relationship between the disciple and the mentor
illustrating it through the bond shared by Shams
Tabraiz and Rumi. This idea was then junctioned
with the advice of life-long learning by employing
the art of critical thinking in order to keep the flame
of knowledge which humbles and immerses wisdom
within an individual.
Professor Mathew McCartney presented a talk given a
title: Betrayal of Pakistan. Four different leaders were
pointed with examples from the history of Pakistan

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