Dr. Salma Maqbool, A Noted Social Activist
Dr. Salma Maqbool, a blind social activist from Pakistan, Chairman and Trustee of the Pakistan Foundation Fighting Blindness and Director of the Darakhshan Resource and Training Centre for blind and disabled girls and young women. Dr. Maqbool was best known within the World Blind Union family as Chairperson of the Committee on the Status of Blind Women in the late 1980’s and until 1992. Dr. Maqbool led a very full and interesting life that was dedicated to improving the situation for blind women and girls both in her home country of Pakistan and internationally. We remember her with fondness and express our sincere condolences to her family and friends.
Source: www.worldblindunion.org

Dr Fatima Shah, A Noted Social Worker & Educationist
Dr. Fatima Shah was born in Bhera in Punjab. She grew up in Aligarh and earned a degree in medicine from Lady Hardinge Medical College in New Delhi. Migrating to Pakistan in 1947 she became a pioneer social worker in the All Pakistan Women's Association. Blindness ended her medical career at the age of forty. But despite her disability Dr. Fatima Shah rendered many services for the handicapped. She organized the Disabled People's Federation of Pakistan to serve as a national affiliate to the Disabled Peoples' International of which she was a world council member. She played a significant role in the establishment of a global body called the World Blind Union and also became a member of the Federal Council National Parliament. Among the various awards bestowed upon her was the Takeo Iwahashi Award at Gothenburg, Sweden, which she received for her outstanding national services in the field of organization of self-help movements of blind people and their progress and development. The government of Pakistan also conferred upon her a Tamgha-i-Imtiaz. Dr Shah wrote a book, titled “Disability: Self-help and Social Change”, which was sent to all the libraries of the world. Dr. Fatima passed away in 2002.
Source: Herald, January 2000

Mr. Farrokh K. Captain, Chairman, Pakistan Human Development Fund
Mr. Farrokh K. Captain, Chairman, Pakistan Human Development Fund (PHDF) received both his Bachelors and Master degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology where he was a member of the class of 1966. He then worked as a Management Consultant with Arthur D. Little First in the USA in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and then went on to establish their practice in Pakistan. From 1978-1994 he led a major US-Pakistan joint venture chemical manufacturing business in Pakistan as Captain-PQ Chemical Industries (Private) Limited. He is also a member of the Board of the American Business Council. At the age of 50, Mr. Captain stepped back from active business, turning this over to professional management. He has spent the years since exclusively in the field of social work. He is a Trustee of the Layton Rehmatulla Benevolent Trust. A much renowned chain of 10 Hospitals for curable blindness spread throughout Pakistan, which treats 1 million patients a year Free of Charge and to date have treated 10 million patients. In 2002 he was invited to join President Musharraf’s Human Development initiative in Pakistan as Chairman of the Pakistan Human Development Fund. He is also one of the 25 founder members of the Pakistan Human Development Fund each of whom has contributed $ 100,000 to this initiative. He is a leader in the still underdeveloped share-holder activism movement in Pakistan. In this capacity he has contributed significantly to the enhancement of minority shareholder rights reflected by both changes in the laws and corporate practice in Pakistan. He has completed 18 Years service and is presently serving his seventh three year term as a Director of Shell Pakistan Limited, representing the interests of the minority shareholders of Shell Pakistan Limited. He has served for 29 years as MIT’s Alumni representative for Pakistan and is President of the MIT Club of Pakistan.

Mariam Khan, A Promising Artist
Mariam Khan was diagnosed with Down's syndrome when she was born. Mariam's mother has been her support and guide throughout her life and has encouraged her daughter in all her endeavours. Now a young woman in her teens, she can speak only thirty words, but each one is meaningful and used purposefully. Art is her way of communication. Through art, Mariam speaks many languages. Mariam studied from the Fixon School of Art (FACTS) and Creative Techniques in Karachi. Her art has been acknowledged at both, national and international levels. Mariam's first exhibition was at the Sheraton Hotel in Karachi in 2002 where more than fifty of her paintings were on display. She is the first Down Syndrome patient who has painted “Colour Theme” for a multinational company, Novo Nordisk. She has also participated and exhibited her work at various international forums including the International Child Art Federation in Germany (2005), in a subway in Italy by a well known Italian designer and at the VSA Arts at Washington DC.
Source: www.coloursofinspiration.com

Asad Rafi, A CSR Professional & Motivational Speaker
Asad Rafi is a graduate of Karachi Grammar School. He started his career at the age of 21 at IBM Pakistan and worked there for over 15 years, before joining SI3 as a communication specialist. At the age of 20 he was diagnosed with Friedrich’s Ataxia. It is an inherited disease that causes progressive disease to the nervous system. Ever since, he has been motivating his friends, family and colleagues. He is a voluntary motivational speaker and has been involved in authoring various articles on multiple diversified topics e.g. motivational topics, sports etc. His articles have been published in local newspapers e as well as magazines. His articles can be found on the website www.netxpress.com.pk and other websites as well including on Nowpdp.com and face book also. He is the head of CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) in SI3. He is also associated with different NGOs working for the betterment of disabled people and doing CSR work. He is working with NGO’s including NOWPDP which is working for the betterment of disabled people all over Pakistan. His talks are aimed at raising awareness about Friedrich’s Ataxia and to change the mindsets of people about making Pakistan a more wheel chair friendly place. The feedback he has been receiving has been very encouraging. Besides delivering lectures at renowned educational institutions including LUMS, Aitchison Collegeand IBA, Asad has also been interviewed by multiple TV channels including DAWN, Aaj, Business Plus, Samaa TV, CNBC and Hum TV.

Muhammad Akram, An IT Geek & Activist
Mohammad Akram lost the ability to hear when he became a teenager. His parents consulted countless specialists and tried various treatments, but nothing seemed to work. When medicine failed him, Muhammad became severely depressed and started pondering our his uncertain and undoubtedly difficult future: what would he do? How would he face this challenge? Would he ever be able to live an independent life? His parents desperately wanted to help their son, but did not know how. Incidentally, Muhammad’s brother bought a computer for Muhammad to play with and eventually Muhammad’s interest grew from computer games to computer technology itself. He became interested in obtaining a diploma in Computer Science and thus enrolled in Petroman Computer Institute where he eventually received his diploma. Bolstered by this achievement, Muhammad continued his higher education and completed his B.Comm and further specialized in IT to finally become a Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP). The impressive qualifications opened many windows of opportunity for Muhammad and in mid 1996 he joined Pakistan Institute of Quality Control (PIQC) as a Computer Programmer. He also joined Pakistan Association of the Deaf (PAD) as a volunteer and in 2001 Muhammad joined Deaf Friends International (DFI), where he eventually became Assistant Director. Muhammad also joined Heaven Care Resource Center Inc (Philippines) as a web developer and the Deaf Tour Assistance (Philippines) as marketing manager. To this day, Muhammad continues to defy odds and inspires others to achieve their dreams. All of Muhammad’s work on behalf of the disabled is double-sided. On the one hand he has shown able-bodied people, that the disabled are as normal as any one of them. On the other hand, he has taught disabled to believe in themselves, to pick themselves up off the ground and strive to achieve their dreams, no matter how great they may be, because, as Muhammad always says “Nothing is impossible as long as you have the will to achieve it”.

Ghulam Nabi Nizamani, CEO & Social Activist
Ghulam Nabi Nizamani was born, raised and educated in Sanghar, a small town in Sindh. As a child he suffered from polio and has used a wheelchair since then. With a Masters in Sociology and Economics, he is presently the CEO of the Pakistan Disabled Peoples’ Organization, a network of Disabled Peoples’ Organizations of Pakistan. He is associated with a number of organizations and forums in various capacities from coordinator to facilitator and expert. These include the Community Based Rehabilitation Asia Pacific Network, Disabled Peoples’ Forum Asia, Disabled Peoples’ International Asia and Pacific, Disabled Peoples’ International (DPA) South Asia and the Disability with United Nations Economic and Social Commission Asia and the Pacific. He also serves as a coordinator in All Sanghar Handicaps’ Association (ASHA) Pakistan.