Prime Minister Imran Khan, Nobel Laureate Malala Yousafzai, prominent religious scholar Maulana Tariq Jamil, and entrepreneur Dr Umar Saif, have been named among the world’s 500 most influential Muslims.
The annual World’s 500 Most Influential Muslims publication is compiled by the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre in Jordan.
This year’s list features some of the most prominent Muslims, including Liverpool footballer Mohamed Salah, Dr Qadeer Khan, Dr Atta Rehman, and Dr Irfan Siddiqui.
Among the top 50, ranked at 29 is Prime Minister Khan, whose crackdown on corruption and bringing accountability to the forefront has fast made him a global name.
“He has already implemented cutbacks in extravagant government expenditure and is using his personal credibility to fundraise for a dam,” the publication wrote.
A sporting legend, Prime Minister Khan played professional cricket for 22 years and is recognised as one of the game’s finest all-rounders.
His ability to lead and unite an often disparate team, culminated in Pakistan winning the 1992 World Cup.
It is this ability and success that many hope can be replicated in the political field.
His other contributions include the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre, and the NUML University, which provides scholarship assistance to over 90% of its students.
The youngest Nobel Prize laureate, Malala Yousafzai, also gets an honourable mention in the publication.
In 2013, she addressed the UN, received the prestigious Sakharov Prize, and was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, which she co-received in 2014 at the age of 17.
She has also been listed as one of the “25 Most Influential Teens of 2014” by Time magazine, and has been granted audiences with royalty and world leaders.
Also featured in the publication is scholar Maulana Tariq Jameel, one of the most popular preachers in Pakistan.
In addition to running a religious seminary in Faisalabad, Jameel has delivered thousands of lectures around the world.
He has been very effective in influencing all types of the community ranging from businessmen and landlords to ministers, actors and sports celebrities.
Award-winning scientist, entrepreneur, innovator and tech tycoon Dr Umar Saif is also part of the list.
A founding vice-chancellor of the Information Technology University in Punjab and one of the main forces behind the IT eco-system in Pakistan, Saif was named by MIT Technology Review’s as one of the “World’s Top Young Innovators” for the year 2011.
He was also named “Young Global Leader” by the World Economic Forum in 2010, and is the recipient of Sitara-e-Imtiaz.
Others Pakistanis on the list include Maulana Fazlur Rehman, former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, Dr Farhat Hashmi, Dr Tahir ul-Qadri, Siraj-ul-Haq, Javed Ghamdi, Bilquis Edhi, Muniba Mazari, Professor Atta-ur-Rehman, Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan, Irfan Siddique, Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, and Abida Parveen.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stands at the top of the most influential Muslims list.
Related Story