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Published 19 May, 2023 11:37pm

Five Pakistanis make it to Forbes 30 under 30

The annual Forbes 30 under 30 list of 300 leaders, entrepreneurs and artists across Asia is out, and five Pakistanis have made the cut.

Here are the Pakistanis mentioned in the list:

Ayesha Mubarak Ali (the arts)

“An internationally acclaimed multimedia visual tech-artist, Ali fuses traditional methods and digital technology to explore themes such as identity politics, light pollution, space applications and the future of humanity,” Forbes said.

Her work has been International Space Station through SpaceX for Maleth II. Ali’s fusion-art practice has been featured in NFT NYC, Forbes Middle East, E27, Hello and GRAZIA.

“Never could I have imagined that the path I embarked upon in ‘Fusion-Art’ domain would lead me to this extraordinary milestone,” Ayesha wrote on Instagram.

“My heartfelt thanks go out to my parents and my dear friends here. Your unwavering belief in my potential has been a guiding light, fostering resilience within me and shaping the individual that I am proud to be today.”

KalPay by Shershah Hassan and Waleed Amjad Islam (Finance and Venture Capital)

Shershah and Waleed are co-founders of a payments startup that is Sharia compliant and hopes to make paying money online easier for Pakistanis.

“Launched in June 2021, KalPay has been partnering with other tech companies in Pakistan, like Foodpanda and other BNPL player Muawin, to extend its reach and provide financial access in a country where credit card penetration is less than 1% and almost 90% of transactions are done by cash,” Forbes wrote.

Anas Niaz (Social Impact)

Anas Niaz is the founder of Bioniks, a company that produces 3-D printed prosthetics right here in Pakistan. The prosthetic arms are equipped with sensors and software, a game changer for people with special needs.

“While the latest bionic arms typically cost $20,000 or more, the ones from Bioniks are a tenth of the cost,” Forbes wrote for Anas’ entry.

Anas announced making the list on Instagram.

“I am extremely grateful for this recognition,” he wrote.

Azam Mahmood (Media, Marketing and Advertising)

Mahmood is a story editor for the reboot of drama series “Queer as Folk” and is making a difference as a storyteller by bringing stories of people of colour to major networks.

“Mahmood says he did not initially know how to write honestly, but began telling stories that reflected his own experiences as a South Asian gay man breaking through the entertainment industry, which led him to unpack topics like male vulnerability with sensitivity and humor,” Forbes wrote.

“Wild to be on @forbes 30 under 30 asia for screenwriting,” he wrote, adding that supporting writers during the strike was a good idea because robots wouldn’t really be able to tell stories as well as humans.

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