Oxford Pakistan Programme Secures Transformative Pledges

The Oxford Pakistan Programme (OPP) marked a significant achievement at its Annual Fundraising Dinner, held at Lady Margaret Hall, by obtaining substantial pledges for three new scholarships. Additionally, a £100,000 endowment was secured to support exceptional students from Pakistan.

Interloop Ltd, a prominent exporter in Pakistan, represented by businessman and philanthropist Musadaq Zulqarnain TI, pledged to fund a scholarship for the next three years.

British Pakistani philanthropists Munir Hussain, who manages a major food chain in the UK, and Aneel Musarrat each promised to provide a full OPP graduate scholarship for the upcoming five years. These funds will enable highly talented Pakistani scholars to pursue higher education in competitive courses at Oxford University, including fields like advanced computer science, theoretical physics, mathematics, and genome medicine.

Professor Sarwar Khawaja further bolstered the initiative by announcing a generous £100,000 donation to the OPP’s endowment fund, contributing to the program’s long-term financial stability.

The dinner, sponsored by Oxford alumni Dr. Omer Suleman and Shamyl Malik (co-founders of Haruko, a financial technology firm), convened donors, academics, and OPP supporters to celebrate the program’s impact.

Since its founding, the OPP has provided nearly £1 million in student support to 52 scholars, with many originating from underserved regions of Pakistan such as Sindh, Balochistan, and South Punjab, enabling them to study at Oxford.

The co-founders of the OPP emphasized the urgent demographic needs of Pakistan, noting that two-thirds of its population is under 30, leading to an unprecedented demand for educational opportunities. The OPP aims to offer opportunities and hope to the bright minds within this generation who have the potential to become Pakistan’s future leaders.

Throughout the evening, the importance of fostering educational aspiration and achievement within the British Pakistani community was also highlighted, to empower them to positively contribute to British society and public life.

Nobel Laureate Malala Yousafzai, a longtime supporter of the OPP, delivered a keynote address, stating, “By supporting the OPP, you are investing in Pakistan’s greatest asset: its youth. These scholars will return to lead industries, influence policies, and transform communities, creating lasting progress for generations to come.”

Notable attendees included Pakistan’s High Commissioner to the UK, Dr. Mohammad Faisal, Ms. Naz Shah MP, the Principal of Lady Margaret Hall, Professor Stephen Blyth, Professor Sir Aziz Sheikh, along with prominent business figures, professionals, and academics from the UK.

The event included testimonials from OPP scholars and expressions of gratitude to major donors, including Malala Yousafzai, Ali Tareen, the government of Balochistan, the COSARAF Foundation, the Dunya Foundation, and an expanding group of philanthropists supporting partial scholarships.

These contributors encompass: Suleman Raza, Hamid Ismail, Professor Stephen Blyth, Areeb Azam, Ammad Ahmad, Syed Babar Ali, Syed Sheharyar Ali, Pir Muhammad Sadiq, Farouq Sheikh OBE and Haroon Sheikh through the COSARAF Foundation, Amir Hashmi, Mian Amer Mahmood through the Dunya Foundation, Abdul Ghani Dadabhoy, Mohammad Khaishgi, Professor Sarwar Khawaja, Dr. Tariq and Abida Zaman, Ahmed Owais Pirzada, Sheraz Mehmood, Areeb Azam, Omar Ghauri and Asad Ghauri.

Dr. Adeel Malik commented, “With these recent pledges, the OPP is closer to achieving its founding goal: ensuring that no Pakistani or British Pakistani student is denied an Oxford education due to financial constraints. The OPP is a pioneering initiative, establishing pathways for gifted students from Pakistan and the UK to pursue Oxford degrees, thereby cultivating future leaders dedicated to national development. The OPP is jointly led by myself, Dr. Talha J Pirzada, Lecturer in Materials Science, Haroon Zaman, a corporate lawyer based in London, and business leader Minahil Saqib.”