Tahmima Anam’s first novel, “A Golden Age”, won the Best First Book in the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize 2008 and went on to be translated into 27 languages. It was followed by “The Good Muslim” and “The Bones of Grace”. She is the recipient of an O. Henry Prize and has been named one of Granta’s Best Young British Novelists. She

Sardar Attique Ahmed Khan is a Pakistani-Kashmiri politician who twice served as the Prime Minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, from 24 July 2006 to 6 January 2009 and from 29 July 2010 to 26 July 2011. He also presides over the All Jammu and Kashmir Muslim Conference and served as the leader of the parliamentary opposition from 15 January

Sarah is the Chief Operating Officer (COO) at Orenda, and brings over 10 years of experience in start-ups, multilateral and non-profit organizations in areas including education, sanitation, women empowerment, and microfinance. Previously she led the setup of Generation: You Employed (GYE), a non-profit founded by McKinsey in 2014 in Pakistan. Before GYE, she has worked at Amal Academy, UN Women,

Risham Amjad is an environmental policy consultant by day and poet by night. She has been published in the ‘Aleph Review’, ‘Mongrel Book of Voices: Volume 1’, ‘The Missing Slate’ and ‘Pakistani Literature’. She enjoys obscure literary memes, falling down Wikipedia rabbit holes, and the work of Richard Siken.

Omar professionally trained as a doctor and joined the Civil Service in 2000 and worked with Pakistan Customs for some time before doing his master’s in Public Administration from Harvard University. On return, Omar worked with department for International Development (now Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office, UK) as Governance Advisor for eight years. Besides Pakistan, he has undertaken assignments in

Lahore-based Nusrat Baquee is an educationist and a trainer. With a Master’s in Economics, she has taught at Punjab University and has been involved with the City School System. She presently works as an independent Trainer and Facilitator

Nayab Jan is an entrepreneur, an activist and a feminist organiser. She currently heads Business Development and External Relations at Community Support Concern- a microfinance company that extends enterprise development loans to low income women. The company currently has an active client base of 40,000 female entrepreneurs. Apart from her role at CSC, she partners with various organisations and media

Mushaal Hussein Mullick is the Chairperson of Peace and Culture organisation an NGO that works for Global Peace and Harmony. It also campaigns for a peaceful settlement of the Kashmir Conflict and its main objective is to support all kinds of peace and nonviolent activities around the world. Born in Lahore and brought up in Islamabad, Mushaal is the scion

Munir Fayyaz is a poet, translator, critic, educationist. He is Assistant Professor (English) at Federal Government Colleges Department, Islamabad. Served as joint secretary and secretary of Halqa Arbab e Zouq, Rawalpindi from 2003 to 2007. He has been composing poetry in Urdu (ghazal and nazm) and English for over twenty years. He recently edited a special issue of ‘Pakistani Literature’

Michael has worked in Pakistan since 2018 as Director Sindh and Balochistan and is now leading the British Council’s work in Punjab as Acting Director. He is a strong believer in the work the British Council does in Pakistan, supporting young people, including women and girls, to access the education and opportunity they need to reach their full potential. Michael