Amjad Farooq Alvi

Amjad Farooq Alvi (born 10 August 1962) is a Pakistani businessman, entrepreneur, computer programmer, inventor and IT Industrialist. Amjad Alvi is the founder and chairman of Brain Telecommunications Ltd, the pioneer of Internet in Lahore. He is also prominent inventor - having masterminded the cBrain Computer Virus to protect his software from piracy.

Early life

Amjad Farooq Alvi was born in Lahore, Pakistan, to Dr. Muhammad Farooq Alvi and Sadiqa Begum. His father is a prominent doctor, a graduate from King Edward Medical University, and belongs to the Alvi people in Punjab. Amjad availed his early education from Saint Andrews High School Lahore, Islamia College and University of Punjab. He holds a B.Sc in Mathematics and Physics from there. Currently, he resides in Lahore with family but has residence in Singapore as well.

Entrepreneurial Life

After his initial education, Amjad was taken into the world of computers and entrepreneurship when he started his own company called Brain Computer Services, located in Allama Iqbal Town, in Lahore, at the age of 18. Despite being a self-taught computer specialist, his business was very successful and it thrived as one of Pakistan's first Computer firms. At the age of twenty, he with his brother Basit Farooq Alvi made the first Computer Virus in order to protect his software from piracy. Later, he migrated to Singapore and worked for a few telecommunication companies there before starting his own enterprise there.

Professional Life

In the late 90s, Brain Telecommunication had two branches - one run by his brother in Pakistan and the other being run by himself in Singapore. In 2001, Amjad migrated back to Pakistan in order to help the Pakistani branch of the company to thrive. Brain Telecommunication offers high speed Internet in Lahore, VOIP services, video streaming, and IP phone services. Due to the low costs associated with the services, PTCL and PTA often involve Brain Telecommunication into cases questioning the legality of its services. Despite many cases, Brain Telecommunication has always defended its position - however its services remain suspended due to PTAs demand.

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