Photo: Courtesy Momina Mustehsan Instagram
Seven of Pakistan’s best and the brightest young achievers in the fields of arts and sciences have made it to Forbes’ 30 Under 30 Asia 2018 List, according to the magazine which acknowledges that the South Asian country often gets a raw deal in the international media while its many positive stories do not get coverage.
The rising stars having an impact on the Pakistani society include musician Momina Mustehsan, healthcare innovators Muhammad Asad Raza and Abrahim Shaha, both 24, who launched Neurostic, 17-year-old scientist Muhammad Shaheer Niazi, who was the first to photograph the movement of ions, and tech experts Adnan Shaffi, 28, and Adeel Shaffi, 29, who are brothers and founded PriceOye in 2015, a price comparison platform for electronics in second and third-tier cities in Pakistan.
“It’s probably fair to say that Pakistan often gets a raw deal when it comes to international media coverage, with headlines usually dominated by themes like religious extremism and terrorism, women’s rights or border conflicts. And while these areas are worthy of coverage, this South Asian nation has many more positive stories that don’t see the light of day, such as the incredible pool of young talent pushing boundaries in numerous industries and disciplines,” Forbes noted.
Despite a challenging environment, the magazine says young Pakistanis are increasingly looking to make a difference in their country.
“And they’re likely to be successful, too. More than 60% of the country’s booming population (the sixth-largest population in the world) is made up of young people. That amounts to a workforce that’s youthful, energetic and just may be the generation to bring the positive changes needed.”
