Imran Ali Gheewala and Family Distinguished Scholarship

At a time when access to distinctive higher education remains deeply unequal, Habib University continues to advance a bold vision of undergraduate education in Pakistan.

The University’s unique approach to advancing knowledge is rooted in the belief that an education of rare depth and breadth, along with the opportunity to realise one’s potential, should not be limited by financial circumstance. Talent exists everywhere, yet opportunity does not. This is the gap the Institution remains committed to narrowing.

This vision is strengthened by individuals, families, and the generous community of Mohsineen who recognise education as a central pillar to expand access to opportunity and shape equitable futures.

The establishment of the Imran Ali Gheewala and Family Distinguished Scholarship at Habib University marks one such commitment through a lasting tribute to a life defined by generosity, service, and an unwavering belief in creating possibilities for others.

Established in loving memory of the late Mr. Imran Ali Gheewala, the scholarship will support deserving young people in accessing a world-class Habib University education, regardless of their financial circumstances. Through the lives, aspirations, and contributions of the students it supports, his values will continue to find expression for generations to come through a legacy that endures beyond a lifetime.

A Legacy of Conviction Now Engraved in Trust

On September 2, 2026, the Gheewala family was welcomed on campus for the unveiling of the engraving bearing the name Imran Ali Gheewala and Family on the Wall of Mohsineen. The engraving stands as a testament to the generosity of Mr. Imran Ali Gheewala and the Gheewala family, whose contribution is now commemorated as part of Habib University’s growing community of Mohsineen across continents, preserved for posterity.

Mr. Imran Ali Gheewala passed away in 2022, but the values by which he lived continue to open pathways for others. For the Gheewala family, this scholarship is beyond a memorial. It carries forward a life spent helping others recognise and realise their own potential.

Mr. Mohsin Gheewala, the brother of Mr. Imran Ali Gheewala, reflected on the family’s decision, “We were talking about Habib University, and why Habib University. I think it’s really important that when we’re talking about creating his legacy, Habib University was matching in values to all that we believe as a family … in terms of supporting other people, in terms of giving people the opportunity, giving everybody a fair and equal chance… and a level playing field.”

Addressing present and future scholarship recipients, Mr. Mohsin Gheewala urged students to see the scholarship as more than financial support, adding, “This scholarship is not an assistance … see this as someone believing in you.”

Mr. Imran Ali Gheewala’s daughter, Mrs.Sara Gheewala Jumaboy, shared with the Habib community present at the occasion, “My father was a man of quiet strength. For all his formidable presence, he was a man of profound humility. Beside his steady exterior was a deep, generous heart. He didn’t want anything in return; he just wanted to be able to do what was right.”
Mr Imran Ali Gheewala’s son, Mr. Hamza Gheewala, recounted, “He taught us how important it was to be someone of their word. He told us that it’s important that what you’re doing is for the right reasons. He never cared for shortcuts; he wanted things to be done the right way.”

Mr. Imran Ali Gheewala’s philosophy of empowering individuals to tackle challenges on their own terms is mirrored in the transformative power of a Habib education.

A Shared Commitment to Expanding Access

The scholarship reflects a shared belief between the Gheewala family and Habib University that excellence should transcend privilege, and that every student should have the opportunity to access it.

Speaking at the ceremony, Habib University President Mr. Wasif Rizvi reflected on one of the defining challenges of higher education in Pakistan as being not simply to create an exceptional university, but crucially to widen the net of who gets the opportunity to attend it.

As the institution continues to expand its mission, President Wasif Rizvi reiterated Habib University’s commitment, avowing, “If in Pakistan … students from all backgrounds … are not trained in universities like ours, we will never have the leadership that we all long for. So how do we change it? We change it by giving opportunity and access to students who had no opportunity and access, who bring a different perspective, and a much more enriched perspective in life.

This question is particularly urgent in a society where access to opportunity is too often shaped by privilege.

Habib University was founded on the belief that Pakistan’s future depends on expanding access to transformative higher education and ensuring that talented young people from diverse backgrounds have the opportunity to learn, grow, and lead.

Ms. Sakina Zehra, a final-year Computer Science student and the recipient of the scholarship, shared her gratitude by expressing, “I’m an Imran Ali Gheewala and Family Yohsin scholar. I’m studying on a full scholarship and (Alhamdulillah) maintaining a 4.0 GPA. Somewhere in my journey is a very important family without whose support this journey would not have been possible. Stories like mine and many others only exist because someone chose to make this chance possible for us.”

President Rizvi reaffirmed Habib University’s commitment to ensuring that financial circumstances are not a determinant in who receives the chance to realize their potential. Students who have historically been excluded from spaces of opportunity bring perspectives, experiences, and aspirations that enrich the communities and institutions they enter.

That commitment requires a broader community of individuals and families willing to invest in the potential of future generations. Habib University is proud have introduced a 100% community-owned model to the higher-education landscape in Pakistan. It is through commitments such as that of the Gheewala family that the University can continue to widen access for students from diverse backgrounds.

A Relationship Etched into History and Carried Forward Through Time

For the Gheewala family, Habib University was a natural partner in carrying Mr. Imran Ali Gheewala’s values forward.

The University’s commitment to creating opportunity that empowers merit reflects values that have long shaped the family’s own approach to service and giving.

Speaking about the family’s decision to establish the scholarship, Mr. Mohsin Gheewala reflected on the importance of creating a more level playing field in an unequal world, asking, “How do we level the playing field?”

For the Gheewala family, education is among the most meaningful answers.

By supporting students, the scholarship will enable young people to pursue an education designed to prepare them for professional success, alongside equipping them with the intellectual depth, judgment, and sense of responsibility needed to engage with the complex challenges of our time.

In doing so, it reflects a belief central to Mr. Imran Ali Gheewala’s life, that what we are given can become a means of creating opportunities for others.

The Imran Ali Gheewala and Family Distinguished Scholarship is a shining example of the generous support of our community of Mohsineen who ensure access for the most talented and deserving students to a world-class higher education in Pakistan.

Habib University presented a memento of gratitude to the late Mr. Imran Ali Gheewala’s wife, Mrs. Zohreen Gheewala and the family as a token of appreciation for the enduring value they have chosen to create as his lasting legacy. The Gheewala family’s gift will manifest in students gaining access to an education that can transform the course of their lives. In turn, their knowledge, achievements, and contributions to their communities and the world will extend the impact of that investment far beyond the University.

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Through their generous support, our community of Mohsineen, a community that continues to believe in the transformative power of a liberal arts education in our national context, helps ensure that the most talented and deserving students have access to a higher education experience of exceptional calibre in Pakistan.

Their generosity enables students to enter professional and civic life as thoughtful, engaged citizens, equipped to ask important questions and pursue ethical answers that contribute to the betterment of our nation, our region, and the world we share.