Iqbal Z. Ahmed

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Iqbal Zafaruddin Ahmed or Iqbal Z. Ahmed (born February 3, 1946) is a leading businessman and philanthropist of Pakistan.

Biography

Born in Patna, India, Ahmed is the son of Zohra (died 1979) and Z. Z. Ahmed (1910–1989), a former deputy inspector general of Pakistan Police. He was schooled at Sadiq Public School, Bahawalpur, and Aitchison College, Lahore. He has a bachelor’s degree in economics from Government College, Lahore, and a master’s degree in economics from Punjab University, Lahore.

Family

Ahmed and his wife, Saira Ahmed, live in Lahore, Pakistan, with their four children. He has two brothers, Qazi Shaukat Fareed and Qazi Humayun Fareed, and a sister, Talat Nabi. Ahmed's mother was given a medal for her contribution in the social services sector of fledgling Pakistan on June 2, 1953, in commemoration of Queen Elizabeth II's coronation. His father is a Freedom Medal recipient from 1947, and his grandfather Maulvi Ziauddin Ahmed was the first Indian to serve as Deputy Inspector General of the Bombay Sind Presidency. Ahmed's paternal uncles included the Indian politician Zain-ul-Abideen Ahmed, filmmaker W. Z. Ahmed, civil servant and Pakistan's ambassador Riazuddin Ahmed. His uncle Rafeeuddin Ahmed, former Under-Secretary General of the UN, lives in New York. Advocate Khalid M. Ishaq and Supreme Court Justice Sabihuddin Ahmed were cousins.

Career

Associated Group (AG) was cofounded by Ahmed and his father in 1965. Today, AG is among Pakistan’s largest producers, transporters and marketers of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) in the private sector. Its companies include Jamshoro Joint Venture Limited (JJVL), Lub Gas, Mehran LPG, Pakistan GasPort Limited, AG Publications, and Associated Estate Developers (AEDL). AG has its headquarters at Lahore and offices in Islamabad and Karachi. AG's philanthropic efforts are directed through the Zohra and Z. Z. Ahmed Foundation. AG Chairman Ahmed is also the Publisher and Chairman of the Board of Newsweek Pakistan.

Honors

Self-made businessman Ahmed, who started in business at the age of 16, has been featured in Newsweek International and Forbes, and profiled on CNBC Pakistan.

The state of Oklahoma declared April 21, 2009, as "Iqbal Z. Ahmed Day" to commemorate, according to the proclamation issued by Governor Brad Henry, "Mr. Ahmed's efforts to bring stability to the region and improve relations between Pakistan and the United States includ[ing] his support for President Obama's plan to add economic support to previously provided military support, shifting the priority for America's investment in Pakistan's stability; and ... Mr. Ahmed's efforts to champion peace and stability in Pakistan and the region; improve relations between Pakistan and the United States; provide power to underserved areas of his country; and forge a mutually beneficial partnership between Pakistan and Oklahoma businesses [a]s a positive example for everyone".

Ahmed was invited by the U.S. government as a "business ambassador" and travelled with Ambassador Anne W. Patterson to New York and Washington, D.C., April 22–24, 2009.

JJVL, Pakistan's single largest producer of LPG which represents post-9/11 foreign direct investment, has been recognised by its peers in the global energy world becoming a finalist six times, four years in a row, at the Platts Global Energy Awards held annually in New York.

Ahmed has also been invited to speak at the exclusive Forbes Global CEO Conference in Sydney in September 2010.

Newsweek Pakistan and Ahmed hosted an exclusive event for Dr Abdullah Gul, President of the Republic of Turkey, at Lahore on April 2, 2010. Chief Minister of the Punjab Shahbaz Sharif also attended the event.

    The Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry, on September 14, 2012, awarded Ahmed the President of Pakistan trophy for his contribution to Pakistan's economy.

    Organizations

    Ahmed is the president of Government College University's (GCU) Endowment Trust Fund, president of King Edward Medical University's (KEMU) Mobilization Fund, and a trustee of National College of Arts' (NCA) Endowment Board. He has also served on the board of the Punjab Red Crescent Society, and is a member of the American Business Forum (ABF). Ahmed is also the elected chairman of the LPG Association of Pakistan (LPGAP). He has previously served as the president of the India-Pakistan World Punjabi Organization.

    External links

    References

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