This year, seven Pakistanis have earned spots on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list for Asia.
Among them is filmmaker and creative director Bushra Sultan, the sole Pakistani featured in the Arts category, which recognizes individuals excelling in art, style, food, and drink. Based in Lahore, Sultan is noted for her commitment to challenging societal constraints on women in Pakistan, as stated by the publication.
At 29 years old, Sultan’s notable contributions lie in the realms of fashion and beauty. Her campaign for Demesne Couture, titled “Guria” (meaning “doll”), depicted two lavishly adorned women manipulated like puppets by oversized hands controlling strings, serving as a commentary on Pakistan’s wedding industry and the pressures faced by brides.
“Sultan gained further recognition for her bold Chimera campaign showcasing headless women,” highlighted Forbes. Aleena Nadeem and Sarkhail Bawany were highlighted in the Finance and Venture Capital category. Nadeem earned recognition for her Lahore-based education startup, EduFi, which facilitates access to university education for more Pakistanis by offering monthly tuition payments instead of the traditional lump-sum payment at the start of each semester.
Forbes notes that Nadeem, an MIT graduate, interned at McKinsey during her college years, subsequently worked in London for Goldman Sachs and Ventura Capital, and has been actively involved in educational initiatives since high school.
Bawany holds the position of Head of Product at Abhi, a Pakistan-based fintech company that enables workers to access a portion of their salary in advance of their next paycheck in times of financial emergency. Abhi operates on a B2B2C model, partnering with companies like Unilever Pakistan to provide this service as an employee benefit.
Forbes reports that Abhi has extended its operations to the Middle East and Bangladesh. Additionally, Bawany serves as the CEO of Abhipay, the startup’s payment services subsidiary.
Kasra Zunnaiyyer, recognized in the Enterprise Technology category, co-founded and currently serves as the Chief Technology Officer of Trukkr, a Karachi-based startup. Trukkr has developed a management platform tailored for Pakistan’s logistics industry, offering features such as financing access, fleet tracking, and customer connectivity. Last year, Trukkr secured $6.4 million in seed funding.
Adeel Abid, Aizaz Nayyer, and Ali Raza, co-founders of Linkstar, located in Karachi, were highlighted in the Consumer Technology category. Linkstar is a platform that assists freelancers in developing free portfolio websites, which can be enhanced with advanced features.
Additionally, freelancers can access online courses through the platform. In 2023, the founders acquired Oliv, a Dubai-based career marketplace facilitating companies in hiring students and graduates.
