Amjad Saqib

Muhammad Amjad Saqib, (Urdu: امجد ثاقب‎; 28 February 1957) is a Pakistani social entrepreneur, development practitioner, author and a former civil servant. He founded Akhuwat Foundation which runs a microfinance credit program at zero interest rate. It is also working on providing financial support to poor families for starting their own earnings.[4]

SI

Amjad Saqib
Amjad Saqib
Born28 February 1957
Faisalabad, Pakistan
NationalityPakistani
Citizenship Pakistani
Alma materKing Edward Medical College Lahore[1]
OccupationSocial Entrepreneur, Philanthropist and Author
Known forAkhuwat Foundation, Interest Free Microfinance credit program
HonoursSitara-e-Imtiaz (2010)[2]
Life Time Achievement[3]
WebsiteOfficial website

He is known for his work for social mobilization, poverty alleviation, microfinance, and education management.[5] He is the author of many books including Akhuwat ka Safar and Molu Musali, and has been writing columns in several Pakistan newspapers like Daily Jinnah, Daily Jang and Nawa-i-Waqt.[6] He is recipient of several national and international honors including Sitara-e-Imtiaz, third highest civil award in Pakistan.

Life and career

Amjad Saqib was born in 1957 in Faisalabad, industrial city of Pakistan. He graduated from King Edward Medical College, Lahore in 1982 and completed his master's degree in Public Administration (MPA) from University of the Punjab. He also received a Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship in 1995 from American University, Washington D.C.[7] After graduation, he started his career in medicine for some short period of time. Later on in 1985, he joined civil service in DMG and has been serving on different positions. He started working in Punjab Rural Support Program as GM in 1998 and served there for next seven years. After being posted at different positions for several years, in 2003, he resigned from civil service and kept on working for public welfare and social development with Akhuwat.[8]

He has also been engaged in providing consultancy services to different organisations including International Labour Organization, Asian Development Bank, UNICEF, World Bank, and Canadian International Development Agency.[9] He has been appearing as guest speaker at different institutions including Civil Services Academy, Lahore University of Management Sciences, National Institute of Public Administration and some other professional forums. [10]

Akhuwat Foundation

Established in 2001, Akhuwat foundation was the first organisation to start interest-free microfinance credit program which is said to be the first in the world as well.[11] Amjad Saqib set up Akhuwat with the mission of poverty alleviation, zero-interest microfinance and free education for all. This program has disbursed over (Rs. 96 billion) to around 3.6 million poor families in Pakistan and has launched Pakistan's first fee-free University. Akhuwat College University is open to students from poor families.[12]

He also shared a project for the welfare of the transgender community. In this project, they will be provided with jobs and benefits. Akhuwat working to provide rights for shemales from the society and many of the shemales are already getting benefits..[13] In this project, second-hand clothes are given away to the poor people for free. This project is appreciated by the Punjab Government and Federal Government as well.[14] He made a recent visit to Sweden and Denmark to encourage overseas Pakistanis to come forward and do the necessary effort at their end.[15]

Awards and recognition

Due to his works, Amjad Saqib has received wide recognition, including most recent the Islamic Economy Award by Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Thomson Reuters in 2018.[16]

In recognition of his works for uplifting poor communities of society, the Prime Minister of Pakistan Yousaf Raza Gilani conferred the Nazriya-i-Pakistan Gold Medal award in 2010.[17]

Saqib is also a recipient of Social Entrepreneur of the year award for 2018 by World Economic Forum (WEF) and Schwab Foundation[18]

He has been recognized as 31st Commonwealth Points of Light by Queen Elizabeth II in honor of his voluntary service by founding Pakistan’s largest micro-finance organisation which is providing benefits to thousands of poor and disadvantaged people in a developing country. The award was presented on by the United Kingdom (UK) High Commissioner in Pakistan Thomas Drew on 15 March 2018.[19][20][21]

Honours
  • Commonwealth’s 31st Point of Light Award, Queen Elizabeth [19][28][29] (2018)
  • Lifetime Achievement - Islamic Economics Application Award[30] IGIAD's President Ayhan Karahan (2018)
  • Best Performance Award (Social Entrepreneur)[31] CM Shehbaz Sharif (2018)
  • Human Rights Award (2018)[32]
  • Pace Awards (2017)[33]
  • Social entrepreneurs Award by Schwab Foundation (2018)[34]

Literary works

Literary works of Saqib are:[35][36]

  • (2019) Maulo Musali
  • (2016) Kamyab Loag
  • (2015) Sher-e-Lab-e-Darya
  • (2014) Gotam Ke Dais Main
  • (2014) Akhuwat Ka Safar
  • (2014) Dasht-e-Zulmat Main Aik Diya
  • (2014) Aik Yaadgaar Mushaira
  • (2013) Ghurbat Aur Microcredit
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See also

References
  1. "Amjad Saqib Profile".
  2. "Pride of Performance, Tamgha-e-Imtiaz, Sitara-e-Imtiaz awards conferred". Business Recorder. 2010-03-24. Retrieved 2019-03-14.
  3. salama (2015-06-03). "Life Time Achievement Award, ADIB and Thomson Reuters launch EFICA".
  4. Syed Sadaat (2016-07-27). ""In Edhi's footsteps, Social work through civil service is the future". DAWN. Retrieved 2016-07-27.
  5. "Profile at Barclay center georgetown.edu".
  6. "Dr. Muhammad Amjad Saqib: (Sitara-a-Imtiaz) | Microcredit | Disability".
  7. "Barclay center georgetown.edu".
  8. "Dr. Amjad Saqib".
  9. "Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs".
  10. Michael Anielski (14 July 2018). "An Economy of Well being".
  11. "In the Footstep of Akhuwat". March 2014.
  12. Joana Silva Afonso; Ajaz Ahmed Khan (16 July 2019). "Emerging Challenges and Innovations in Microfinance and Financial Inclusion". link.springer.com. doi:10.1007/978-3-030-05261-4_4. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  13. "Transgender people get their blood screened". 2017-05-07.
  14. Tasneem Noorani (2019-11-05). "Unsung Heroes".
  15. "TEDx Talks ITU". 2016-02-16.
  16. salama (2015-06-03). "Life Time Achievement Award, ADIB and Thomson Reuters launch EFICA".
  17. "Prime Minister conferred the Nazria-i-Pakistan award". Dawn. 2010-03-27.
  18. "World-changers: Social Entrepreneurs of the Year 2018". 2018-09-24.
  19. "Pakistan - Commonwealth Point of Light". Points of Light - Prime Minister's Office 10 Downing Street.
  20. "Philanthropist receives Commonwealth Points of Light award".
  21. "Times of Islamabad".
  22. "Dr. M. Amjad Saqib". TABA Foundation. 2015-05-14. Retrieved 2019-03-14.
  23. https://www.dawn.com/news/943236
  24. "Prime Minister conferred the Nazria-i-Pakistan award".
  25. salama (2015-06-03). "Life Time Achievement Award, ADIB and Thomson Reuters launch EFICA".
  26. "Akhuwat - Projects | I Am The Change". Retrieved 2019-03-14.
  27. "Impacting Real Change ― Engro honors the winners of I am the Change digital competition | Engro Corporation". www.engro.com. Retrieved 2019-03-14.
  28. "Queen recognises Pakistani volunteer with Commonwealth Points of Light award". Daily Times. 2018-03-28. Retrieved 2019-03-14.
  29. "Her Majesty The Queen recognises Pakistani volunteer with Commonwealth Points of Light award". GOV.UK. Retrieved 2019-03-14.
  30. "Meet the 2018 Islamic Economy Award Winners". Islamic Economy Award - Dubai Chamber.
  31. "World-changers: meet the Social Entrepreneurs of the Year 2018". World Economic Forum.
  32. "Human rights award".
  33. "Dr. Amjad Saqib".
  34. "Awardees".
  35. "Dr. Amjad Saqib Books | Urdu Books". Amjad Saqib. Retrieved 2020-03-10.
  36. "Dr Amjad Saqib | Author | Founder of Akhuwat Foundation". Amjad Saqib. Retrieved 2020-03-10.


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