Speakers

Dr Akram Laldin
Executive Director of International Shari’ah Research Academy for Islamic Finance (ISRA)

Prof. Dr. Mohamad Akram is currently the Executive Director of International Shari’ah Research Academy for Islamic Finance (ISRA) and Professor at International Centre for Education in Islamic Finance (INCEIF). Prior to joining ISRA he was an Assistant Professor at the Kulliyah of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Sciences, International Islamic University, Malaysia (IIUM). In the period 2002-2004, he was a Visiting Assistant Professor at the University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. At present, he is the Deputy Chairman of Bank Negara Malaysia Shari’ah Advisory Council, Member of Accounting and Auditing Organisation of Islamic Financial Institution (AAOIFI) Shari'ah Board, Member of Law Harmonisation Committee Bank Negara Malaysia, Member of Shari’ah Board of Employees Provident Fund Malaysia (EPF), Chairman of Maldives Monetary Authority Shari’ah Board, Member of Yassar Limited (Dubai) Shari’ah Advisory Board, Member Financial Regulation Advisory Council of Experts (FRACE), Central Bank of Nigeria, Shari’ah Advisor to ZI Syariah Advisory Malaysia, Member of Shari’ah Advisory Council International Islamic Financial Market (IIFM), Bahrain, Member of Thomson Reuters Islamic Benchmark (IIBR) Shariah Committee; Member of Shari’ah Advisor of Dar Al Takaful (Dubai), Member of Watania Takaful Shariah Committee (Abu Dhabi), Member of the Shariah Supervisory Council of Labuan Financial Services Authority and other Boards locally and internationally, Member Board of Trustee of Islamic Research Training Institute under Islamic Development Bank, Jeddah.

Prof. Akram holds a B.A. Honours degree in Islamic Jurisprudence and Legislation from the University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan and a Ph.D. in Principles of Islamic Jurisprudence (Usul al-Fiqh) from the University of Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom. He has presented many papers related to Islamic Banking and Finance and other Fiqh topics at national and International level and has conducted many training sessions particullarly on Islamic Banking and Finance for different sectors since 1999. He is a registered Shariah Advisor for Islamic Securities with the Securities Commission of Malaysia and has acted as Shariah advisor in the issuance of several sukuks. In addition he is also prolific author of academic works specifically in the areas of Islamic Banking and Finance. He is the receipient of Zaki Badawi Award for Excellence in Shariah Advisory and Research.

Dr. M. Kabir Hassan
University of Orleans, USA

Dr. M. Kabir Hassan is a financial economist with consulting, research and teaching experiences in development finance, money and capital markets, Islamic finance, corporate finance, investments, monetary economics, macroeconomics and international trade and finance. He provided consulting services to the World Bank (WB), International Monetary Fund (IMF), Islamic Development Bank (IDB), African Development Bank (AfDB), USAID, Government of Bangladesh, Organization of Islamic Conferences (OIC), Federal Reserve Bank, USA, and many corporations, private organizations and universities around the world. Dr. Hassan received his BA in Economics and Mathematics from Gustavus Adolphus College, Minnesota, USA, and M.A. in Economics and Ph.D. in Finance from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, USA respectively. He is now a tenured Full Professor of Finance in the Department of Economics and Finance at the University of New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. He has 145 papers published in refereed academic journals to his credit. Dr. Hassan supervised 32 doctoral theses, and many of his students are now well placed in the academia, government and private sectors. He is editor of The Global Journal of Finance and Economics and Journal of Islamic Economics, Banking and Finance, International Journal of Islamic and Middle Eastern Finance and Management, International Journal of Excellence in Islamic Banking and Finance and Co-Editor of Journal of Economic Cooperation and Development. Dr. Hassan has edited and published many books along with articles in refereed academic journals. Dr. Hassan is co-editor (with M.K. Lewis) of Handbook of Islamic Banking and Islamic Finance, The International Library of Critical Writings in Economics (Edward Elgar, 2007), and co-editor (with Michael Mahlknecht) Islamic Capital Market: Products and Strategies (John Wiley and Sons, 2011). He is co-author Islamic Entrepreneurship (Routledge UK, 2010). Dr. Hassan has completed a textbook on Islamic Finance, (co-authored with Rasem N Kayed and Umar A Oseni) which was published by the UK based Pearson Publishing Company. Dr. Hassan is now completing an edited volume on Islam and the Economy to be published by the Oxford University Press. A frequent traveller, Dr. Hassan gives lectures and workshops in the US and abroad, and has presented over 270 research papers at professional conferences and gave 103 invited lectures.

Dr. Muhamed Zulkhibri
Senior Economist, Islamic Research and Training Institute
Islamic Development Bank

Dr. Muhamed Zulkhibri is a Senior Economist at Research Division of Islamic Research and Training Institute, Islamic Development Bank, Saudi Arabia with progressive experience in central bank, research and policy-oriented institutions. His research interests are in the area of monetary economics, macroeconomics, banking and financial institutions (including Islamic financial institutions) and applied econometrics. He has lectured in undergraduate and post-graduate program at the University of Nottingham and University Putra Malaysia. He was a team member for developing Malaysia Structural Economic Model, led by Professor Lawrence Klein (Nobel Laureate 1980). He has published extensively in leading academic journals among others are the Global Economic Review, Journal of Asian Economics, Applied Financial Economics, regulatory publications, and the financial press as well as reviewer for leading journals such as Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Economic Modelling, Journal Comparative Economic Studies, Emerging Markets Review etc. He earned his Ph.d in Economics from University of Nottingham, United Kingdom.

Mr. Pervez Said
Director Al-Barka Bank Limited.

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Omar Shaikh
CEO, Islamic Finance Council
UK

Omar Shaikh : Omar Shaikh is a Chartered Accountant by profession and specialises in Islamic finance and private equity. He leads the IFC’s activities in the arena of government policy advisory. Omar has been at the forefront of establishing the UK Government’s strategy for making the City a leading Western hub for Islamic finance through the UKTI, HM Treasury Committees and Mansion House trade delegations. He has lectured at various global conferences and universities and is involved in development initiatives relating to waqf , shariah governance and Islamic microfinance. Omar background includes working with Ernst & Young where he was recognised as the UK firms Subject Matter Expert for Islamic finance and successfully led the build out of the Islamic finance offering within the UK office. At EY he also worked with the UK Private Equity team and the multi-award winning EY Islamic Financial Services Group in Bahrain.

Mr. Waheed Qaiser
President & Vice Chairman,
Maxim Corporate Finance LLP PT Gain Crescent Capital, UK

Waheed Qaiser (WQ) is the Lead Founder of first Islamic bank in UK that was licensed in 2004. Waheed is also founder, CEO and Chairman of another Islamic bank in Europe that has applied for a Licence. WQ is Chairman PT Gain Crescent Capital, President and vice Chairman of Maxim Corporate Finance LLP. Waheed held executive management positions at Citibank, HSBC, UBS, IIBU, IBB, and QCC. Waheed is a Professional conventional & Islamic banker & Management Professional, having led Operations, Retail/Private banking, Business development, sales & marketing and all areas of Islamic banking. Waheed has proven expertise on bank start-up, management & financial consulting and Corporate Finance advisory.

WQ is a founding member of the Bank of England working party on Islamic mortgages that brought the historical amendment on double stamp duty for Islamic mortgages and a founding Member UK technical group at Chartered Institute for Securities & Investments for Islamic Finance Qualification (IFQ) London. WQ co-authored a book on Islamic retail Banking & Finance. Waheed is the first Pakistani British to take various initiatives on Islamic banking front in the West.

Mr. Nabee Mohomed Mamode Raffick
Founder & Secretary, Al Barakah Cooperative Society Limited, Mauritius

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Mr. Nidal Alsayed
NBAD Group, UAE

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Dr. Wafica Ali Ghoul
Academic, Lebanese International University Lebanon

Dr Wafica A. Ghoul is the lecturer in Lebanese International University. She is an author of more than 12 articles related to business management and 5 scientific research articles. She conducted her research and teaching in finance and Business Development topics in the MENA region. She the Former member in American Chemical Society, WSU MBA Association, APICS and current member of Beta Gamma Sigma. In her other achievements, she won “Outstanding Young Women of America" in 1991 in USA and also listed in Who is Who in American Education.

Mr. Mohammad Farrukh Raza
Managing Director, IFAAS (Islamic Finance Advisory & Assurance Services

Farrukh is the founder and managing director of IFAAS, an award-winning professional consultancy dedicated to Islamic Finance currently providing expertise to a range of institutional clients across several countries, from its offices located in the UK, France and Bahrain.

Farrukh holds an MBA in Strategic Management and has exceptionally rich experience across various sectors of the Islamic finance industry. He has led many pioneering Islamic Finance projects in Europe, Central America, GCC and Africa where IFAAS is particularly active in the French speaking regions. Farrukh’s experience includes advising the key stakeholders and regulatory authorities on developing the regulatory, legal and tax frameworks for implementing Islamic Finance in several markets including France, Senegal, Niger, Mauritania and Morocco. He has also led the ground-breaking market research projects sizing the retail markets for Islamic banking in France, Belgium and Oman.

He has previously held senior roles at Islamic Bank of Britain, the first Islamic bank in Europe and also played a key role in rolling out the first Takaful company in Europe. He is a member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing (UK), Islamic Finance Experts Group (UK), Islamic Finance Commission at Paris Europlace (France), Business & Economics Committee of Muslim Council of Britain (UK) and Mosaic Network of The Prince’s Trust.

Farrukh is a highly experienced trainer and a popular speaker at international industry conferences. He also lectures frequently at many reputed universities worldwide. He speaks several languages with excellent command on English, French and Urdu.

Mr. Amir Islam
Vice President Islamic Banking Division Muslim Commercial Bank

Mr. Amir Islam is working as Vice President in MCB Islamic Banking Division, holding a corporate area. He has about 17 years of experience in all banking areas including Corporate/SME, Consumer and Operation department, in prestigious Pakistani banks. He has extensive experience of Corporate/SME, Consumer Banking along with handling of Credit Administration Department/ Securitization of financing documents, financial analysis and risk management. He has a thorough understanding of Bank Operations/transactions, Credit policies etc. He has been engaged in various training programs regarding Banking, Islamic Banking, Credit Documentations, Financial Analysis, Management, Consumer lending products, Staff Development etc throughout his career.

Mufti Dr. Zubair Usmani
Sharia’h Advisor, MCB

Mufti Muhammad Zubair Usmani completed his Doctorate in Islamic Finance form Karachi University. He is also the Fazil Takhassus (specialist of Islamic Fiqh and Fatawa) from Jamia Darul Uloom Karachi and is also a research scholar and teacher. Besides being the Shari’ah Advisor, Muslim Commercial Bank; he is also the member Transformation Commission Sub-committee, State Bank of Pakistan; Islamization of Economic Committee Chamber of Commerce, Karachi; Implementation of Supreme Court Judgment on Riba Committee, Institute of Chartered Accountant of Pakistan and governing body Al-Markaz-ul-Islami, Dhaka, Banglades.

Muhammad Zubair Mughal
CEO, Al-Huda CIBE

Muhammad Zubair Mughal is a passionate and hardworking individual with a strategic vision of Islamic Microfinance. He is a skilled professional of Islamic Microfinance and an ardent learner of Islamic Microfinance and Islamic Micro Insurance with excellent speaking and training skills. He has 10 years of strong professional background on Islamic Banking & Finance. He has privileged to develop many Islamic Microfinance Products utilized in Pakistan, Middle East and Africa. Also, he has presented the research papers on Islamic Microfinance in many international conferences all around the world.

Dr. Zamir Iqbal
The World Bank
Washington DC, USA

• First Chairholder of YTI Professorial Chair in Islamic Finance and Banking at Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM).
• Professional Faculty, Johns Hopkins Carey Business School, Washington, DC USA
• Lead Investment Officer, the World Bank in Washington, D.C.

Dr. Iqbal earned his Ph.D. in international finance from the George Washington University. He has extensive research experience in the area of Islamic finance. He has published articles in reputed academic journals and has presented papers at international conferences. His areas of interest are financial engineering, risk management, and corporate governance in Islamic finance. He is co-author of several books on Islamic finance including “An Introduction to Islamic Finance: Theory and Practice,” “Risk Analysis for Islamic Banks,” and more recently, “Risk-Sharing in Finance: Islamic Finance Perspective.”

Mr. Ijlal Ahmed Alvi
Chief Executive Officer & Secretary to the Board of IIFM

Mr. Ijlal Alvi has extensive experience in the Financial Services Industry; specifically in the areas of Treasury, Capital Markets, Risk Management and Islamic Finance Industry Standardization etc. He also has extensive hands-on experience in setting up new treasury functions, strategic planning & policy making, FI’s restructuring/formation and FI relationship management. Prior to moving to the Gulf, he has spent 10 years at senior positions in the areas of Treasury & Global Markets with international and regional financial institutions. Since 1997, Mr. Alvi has served at senior positions with a number of Middle East based financial institutions.

Mr. Alvi is the Chief Executive Officer & Secretary to the Board of IIFM since mid 2005 where he has been instrumental in initiating standardization of Islamic Capital & Money Market documentation, products and related processes. Moreover, Mr. Alvi has negotiated and successfully signed several joint cooperation agreements with other trade and standard setting organizations such as Islamic Research & Training Institute (IRTI-IDB), International Swaps & Derivative Association, International Capital Market Association, Association of Islamic Banks in Far East and other jurisdictions etc.,

Mr. Alvi has been involved in several working committees at international level and provides extensive technical guidance to various Islamic finance committees, forums and Working Groups. He currently manages development of a number of IIFM’s Global Documentation & Product Standards particularly on Islamic Hedging, Liquidity Management & Capital market instruments.

So far, Mr. Alvi has overseen the development & launch of several global documentation and product standards such as Inter-bank Unrestricted Wakalah, ISDA/IIFM Tahawwut Master Agreement and other. Under his management IIFM has received prestigious WIBC Award for “Outstanding Contribution to the Islamic Finance Industry”.

Mr. Alvi regularly participates as a speaker at key Islamic Finance Conferences, IIFM Events, Seminars & Workshops globally and has delivered numerous Keynote speeches and presentations on Islamic Finance including Islamic Industry’s unification. Moreover, he is a regular contributor in the printed media where his contributions are generally focused on Islamic Instruments, Liquidity Management, Risk Mitigation and innovation & standardization in Islamic Financial Services Industry.

Mr. Alberto Brugnoni
Chairman , ASSAIF, Italy

Alberto G Brugnoni, a former director with Merrill Lynch Bank, is an independent consultant on Islamic finance focusing on the development of Shariah-compliant products and capacity building. His unique professional background combines the Islamic, conventional and ethical finance sectors. His practice focuses on the creation of wealth through the full implementation of the 'social capital' and 'territorial added value' concepts. An innovative use of the financial mechanisms and structures applied to ethical monies allows the emergence of new forms of governance that take into account the social, cultural and economic inclusion of all parts of society.

Dr. Humayun Dar
CEO,Ed Biz Consulting
UK

Dr Humayon Dar is an Islamic economist, transformational thinker, author, Sharia advisor and Islamic banking expert, focusing on how to create financial solutions that conform with Sharia law. With his leadership roles in Islamic banking and finance industry, academia, publishing and advocacy and relationships with the royal and industrial families and Islamic financial institutions around the world, he is considered as one of the most influential personalities in Islamic banking and finance.

He has directly benefitted from the first generation of Islamic economists. Those who influenced his academic thoughts include M. Umer Chapra, Khurshid Ahmad, Anas Zarka, Nejatullah Siddiqi and Abdul Rahman Yousri, among others

Mr. Hamid Yunis
Partner in the Corporate, Commercial & Projects practice group
UK

Hamid is a partner in the Corporate, Commercial & Projects practice group and has extensive experience in the successful structuring and negotiation of major projects and project financed transactions both in a domestic UK context and also internationally.

Hamid trained as a corporate finance lawyer and his work experience includes acting on a number of high value and complex corporate and infrastructure transactions. Hamid has sector experience in a diverse range of industries which include healthcare, general infrastructure, utilities (particularly waste, water and waste water) and transportation. Included in these transactions were the successful conclusion of various pathfinder structures and the implementation of new and innovative financing proposals including those with a capital markets solution. Hamid's clients range from sponsors (contractors and FM providers), financiers (equity, debt and capital markets) and government or sovereign bodies.

Hamid leads a number of teams and initiatives within Taylor Wessing.  These include:

• Head of the cross jurisdictional Healthcare (Infrastructure and Services) group;
• Head of the TW Middle East group, which is responsible for the development and interface with TW's Middle Eastern/Gulf based practices; and
• Head of TW's Global Islamic Finance practice, which is recognised as one of the leading professional services providers in this sector. In particular, Hamid is an adviser to the Islamic Finance Services Board, the global standard setting body.

Hamid is recommended by Legal 500 for his "excellent knowledge" and by Chambers, he is a "respected name" and is considered to be a "nice guy to work with". Hamid is regularly listed in Legal Business as an "expert" in his field.

Prof. Dr. M. Nauman Farooqi
Ron Joyce Center for Business Studies, Canada

M. Nauman Farooqi, Professor & Head of the Department of Commerce. He also serves as the Coordinator for the Norway and The Hague International Exchange Programs. During 2005-6 he also served as the Director of Leadership Mount Allison. Dr. Farooqi brings a unique blend of corporate and academic experience to the Commerce Program. Previously he served as the Chief Executive Officer of a money management firm and successfully launched a multi-million Dollar mutual fund. He has conducted corporate consulting, training, workshops, seminars, and projects in the United States, Canada, UAE, Kazakhstan and Pakistan on behalf of the World Bank, United Nations Development Program, banks, development finance institution's and government departments.Dr. Farooqi was awarded the Paul Pare Excellence Award in recognition of excellence in both teaching and Research at Mount Allison University in 2005 and 2006

Mr. Abdul Azeem Abozaid
Associate Professor, Qatar Foundation

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Mr. Faizal Salieh
Ex CEO Amana Bank, Sri Lanka

Faizal Salieh is well known for the outstanding leadership role he has played in initiating, developing and furthering the practice of Islamic banking in Sri Lanka based on the principles of profit and loss sharing.

Faizal has well over three decades of extensive experience in commercial and development banking both in Sri Lanka and overseas; has held top management positions in global and local banks such as Grindlays Bank, ANZ Bank and National Development Bank; Board director of several companies in the business of banking, finance, fund management, stockbroking, manufacturing, trading and education; has served on State University Boards, and several Government and Non-Governmental Committees in the fields of finance, economic affairs, housing, construction and tertiary education.

He led the formation of NDB Housing Bank, the first private sector housing bank in Sri Lanka, in 2001 and was its CEO and Board director. In 2004 he took a tremendously challenging job as Managing Director of Amana Investments Limited, an unregulated non-bank financial institution, transformed its entire business and led the formation and establishment of Amana Bankin 2011.He also played a key role in facilitating appropriate changes to the country’s regulatory, fiscal and legislative framework to support Islamic banking. Amana Bank is the first and only full-fledged Islamic bank in Sri Lanka licensed by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka. Faizal was the founder Managing Director and CEO of Amana Bank and retired in June 2014 after 10 years of outstanding contribution to the first Islamic finance initiative in Sri Lanka.

He is an active member of the Main Committee of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, the premier Trade Chamber in Sri Lanka and serves on the Chamber’s Finance, Banking & Capital Markets Steering Committee, National Integration Steering Committee, Ethics Steering Committee and the Sri Lanka Statutory Accounting Standards Committee of ICASL. In addition, he served on the Boards of LankaClear (Pvt) Ltd which is the Country’s automated cheque clearing house, The Sri Lanka Institute of Directors, Institute of Bankers of Sri Lanka and Distance Learning Centre Limited. He was also the Chairman of the first Technical Committee on Islamic Banking of the Sri Lanka Banks Association, a committee which he initiated.

Faizal holds a Bachelor's Degree in Economics with First Class Honours, a Master's Degree in Business Administration and is a Fellow of the Institute of Certified Professional Managers in Sri Lanka. He has made several presentations on Leadership, Management, Banking and Islamic Finance on various international platforms and has lectured extensively at State Universities and professional accountancy and management institutes. He serves on the Experts Panels on Islamic banking constituted by Fleming Gulf and Islamic Finance News.

Camille Silla Paldi
CEO, FAAIF Limited and Events DMCC

Camille Paldi has a Masters Degree in Islamic Finance from Durham University in the UK. In addition to being a qualified Islamic finance specialist, Camille is also a lawyer in four countries and nine jurisdictions around the world and has received legal training in common, civil, and Shari’ah law in six countries spanning five continents of the earth in Asia, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, North America, and the Middle East. She is a US citizen born in the state of Hawaii and has lived half of her life abroad in various countries around the world.

Ms. Paldi founded FAAIF Limited, FAAIF Events JLT, and ilovetheuae.com FZ LLE (UAE Laws andIslamic Finance). She has over 10 years of global work experience in the private and public sectors and brings with her a wealth of practical knowledge acquired around the globe from the worlds’ leading educational institutions. With her unique international experience, Ms. Paldi brings a fresh and vibrant perspective to Islamic finance.

Mr. Akmal Hanuk
Chief Executive Islamic Banking and Finance Center, UK

Akmal Hanuk is Founder & CEO of IBFC-UK, Islamic Banking and Finance Centre. He is the member of UKTI committee in Islamic Finance, Trustee and treasure of Muslim council of Wales, chair and independent member of The Standards and Ethics Committee- Cardiff Country Council, member of study of Islam in UK school of Religious and Theological Studies, co founder and executive director of EBSP Leadership, Equality and diversity Training Center and member of Cardiff School of Management.

Mr. Muhammad Ashfaq
Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences,Germany

Mr. Muhammad Ashfaq is a trainer, consultant, teacher and currently working as Lecturer/Scientific Staff Member for the degree programme International Business and Social Sciences at Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences, Kamp-Lintfort Germany.
Prior to joining Rhine-Waal University, Mr. Ashfaq also acquired professional experience in various roles and positions. He was a team member of the Finance & Controlling Department at Schock GmbH and was employed as a specialist in finance at the Pfizer Manufacturing Deutschland GmbH Germany, a subsidiary of Pfizer U.S. Corporation, to mention just a few. He is currently also a visiting faculty member of the international MBA programme at Coburg University of Applied Sciences, Germany and at the WittenborgBuiseness School in the Netherlands, where he regularly teaches Financial Management and investment finance.

Dr. Muhammad Imran
Group Head-Islamic Banking, United Bank Limited

Dr. Muhammad Imran is a leading professional of Pakistan's Islamic Banking industry with proven track record of successfully launching Standard Chartered Saadiq and subsequently heading the Retail and Consumer Banking Business of Bank Islami Pakistan. He transformed Bank Islami from a small bank with 9 branches to Pakistan's second largest Islamic Bank with 201 branches in 75 cities across Pakistan. He has also contributed to the development of the strategic road map for Islamic Banking in Pakistan as a member of the core committee formed by the Governor State Bank of Pakistan. Currently Dr. Muhammad Imran heads the Islamic Banking business of UBL - the second largest Private Bank in Pakistan.

Muhammad Shoaib Ibrahim
Managing Director & CEO
First Habib Modaraba, Karachi Pakistan

Currently working with First Habib Modaraba (FHM) and holding designation of Managing Director and CEO. At present, FHM is well positioned in Islamic financial market with highest equity base, with strongprofitability within entire Modaraba Sector of Pakistan.
Having work experience of more than two decades in Non-Banking Islamic Financial Institutions and Modarabasector makeshim senior most person with such long experience of Modaraba sector in Pakistan. This experience has given him insight into the financial and technical aspects of the non-banking Islamic financial activities.
Mr. Shoaib has done Master of Business Administration (MBA) in banking and finance from Institute of Business Administration (IBA). He has also completed Post Graduate Diploma (PGD) in Islamic Banking from Centre of Islamic Economics (DarulUlum), Karachi Pakistan.
Various research papers have been presented by him on Modaraba model and other Islamic financials products at different international forums in Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong and South Africa.
On number of occasion he remained as Executive Member of Modaraba Association of Pakistan. He alsoremained Chairman in said association.