Iqbal Z. Ahmed
{{Short description|Pakistani businessman}}
{{other people5||Iqbal Ahmed (disambiguation)}}
{{EngvarB|date=September 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2014}}
{{BLP sources|date=October 2012}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Iqbal Z. Ahmed
| image = Iqbal_Z._Ahmed_with_Pakistan's_former_prime_minister_Benazir_Bhutto_1998.jpg
| alt = Iqbal Z. Ahmed with Pakistan's former prime minister Benazir Bhutto
| caption = Iqbal Z. Ahmed with Pakistan's former prime minister Benazir Bhutto
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1946|02|03}}
| birth_place = Patna, India
| death_date =
| death_place =
| other_names =
| occupation = Businessman, philanthropist
| years_active =
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| notable_works =
}}
Iqbal Zafaruddin Ahmed (born 3 February 1946) is a Pakistani industrialist and philanthropist who is the founder of Associated Group.{{Cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/forbes/2009/0713/walters-pakistan-power-generation-barnstormer.html|title=Barnstormer|first=Megha|last=Bahree|website=Forbes}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/forbes/2009/0713/walters-associated-group-rental-power-for-pakistan.html|title=Rental Power for Pakistan|first=Megha|last=Bahree|website=Forbes}}{{cite news |title=Pakistan will face power shortages this winter and indigenous supply is needed |url=https://www.cnbc.com/video/2023/09/07/pakistan-to-face-power-shortages-and-indigenous-supply-is-needed.html |access-date=25 March 2024 |work=CNBC |publisher=NBCUniversal Media, LLC}} He is often referred to as the "gas king of Pakistan."{{Cite web|url=https://profit.pakistantoday.com.pk/2023/11/11/pakistans-gas-king-iqbal-z-ahmed-has-been-arrested-in-in-hyderabad/|title=Pakistan's gas king, Iqbal Z Ahmed has been arrested in Hyderabad|first=Ahmad|last=Ahmadani|date=11 November 2023|website=Profit by Pakistan Today}}
Early life and education
Born in Patna, India, Ahmed is the son of Zohra (died 1979) and Z. Z. Ahmed (1910–1989), a former deputy inspector general of Pakistan Police. He was educated at Sadiq Public School and Aitchison College. Later, he earned a bachelor's degree in economics from Government College, Lahore, and a master's degree in economics from Punjab University, Lahore.
Career
Associated Group was cofounded by Ahmed and his father in 1965. Its companies include Jamshoro Joint Venture Limited, Pakistan GasPort Consortium Limited, Lub Gas, Mehran LPG, AG Publications, and Associated Estate Developers (AEDL). AG has its headquarters at Lahore and offices in Islamabad and Karachi. AG's philanthropic efforts are directed through the Zohra and Z. Z. Ahmed Foundation. AG chairman Ahmed is also the Publisher and chairman of the board of Newsweek Pakistan.{{cite news |last1=Bhutta |first1=Zafar |title=JJVL calls for deregulation in LPG Policy |url=https://tribune.com.pk/story/2456377/jjvl-calls-for-deregulation-in-lpg-policy |access-date=14 February 2024 |work=Express Tribune |publisher=Express News Network}}{{cite news |last1=Mustafa |first1=Khalid |title='Private sector must be allowed to import cheap LNG' |url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/1197762-private-sector-must-be-allowed-to-import-cheap-lng |access-date=7 June 2024 |work=The News |publisher=Jang Group}}
In 2024, the Sindh High Court returned to Pakistan's National Accountability Bureau (NAB) a corruption reference filed against Ahmed and his sons owing to lack of jurisdiction, bringing to a close a case pending since 2019.{{cite news |last1=Katpar |first1=Yousuf |title=Reference against JJVL owner and sons returned to NAB |url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/1155649-reference-against-jjvl-owner-and-sons-returned-to-nab |access-date=14 February 2024 |work=The News |publisher=Jang Group |ref=1}}
Awards and recognition
The state of Oklahoma declared 21 April 2009, as "Iqbal Z. Ahmed Day" to commemorate, according to the proclamation issued by Governor Brad Henry.
Organizations
Ahmed is the chairperson of Lahore Literary Festival Society, president of Government College University's (GCU) Endowment Trust Fund, member of the Faiz Ahmed Faiz Foundation, chairman of the Services Institute of Medical Sciences (SIMS), president of King Edward Medical University's (KEMU) Mobilization Fund, and a trustee of National College of Arts' (NCA) Endowment Board. He has also served on the board of the Punjab Red Crescent Society, and is a member of the American Business Forum (ABF). Ahmed is also the elected chairman of the LPG Association of Pakistan (LPGAP). He has previously served as the president of the India-Pakistan World Punjabi Organization.
Philanthropy
In his individual capacity and through his foundation, the Zohra and Z.Z. Ahmed Foundation, Ahmed has undertaken philanthropy worth over $1.5 million. Spanning an array of fields from education to healthcare to community empowerment, and the arts, the Zohra and Z.Z. Ahmed Foundation was recognized for its charity outlay in 2012 by the Pakistan Center for Philanthropy as one of the top 10 institutions in Pakistan.
Over the years, he has served as patron of the Government College University; National College of Arts; Beaconhouse National University; LABARD; Edhi Foundation; and the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital. In 2024, he was re-appointed President of the Executive Committee of the Endowment Fund Trust of Government College University for a two-year term, having previously served in the same position from 2005–2022, and raising over Rs. 500 million for the Trust.{{cite news |title=GCU Board of Trustees approves name of Iqbal Ahmed as member |url=https://www.brecorder.com/news/40295057 |access-date=25 March 2024 |work=Business Recorder |publisher=Business Recorder Group}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.bw-group.com/news/press-releases/bw-names-second-lng-fsru-newbuilding-the-bw-integrity, BW names FSRU for Pakistan GasPort terminal, Jan 2017]
- [http://sites.asiasociety.org/gandhara/credits-2/%20 The Buddhist Heritage of Pakistan, Asia Society, Fall 2011]
- [http://www.leadersmag.com/issues/2009.3_jul/pakistan/Pakistan.html Leaders, July–September 2009]
- [http://sites.asiasociety.org/hangingfire/about/ Hanging Fire, Asia Society, 2009–2010]
- [https://tribune.com.pk/story/71225/lpg-king-fined-millions/ LPG king fined millions, November 2010]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ahmed, Iqbal Z.}}
Category:Pakistani philanthropists
Category:Pakistani industrialists
Category:Sadiq Public School alumni
Category:Aitchison College alumni
Category:University of the Punjab alumni