Asif Farrukhi

Dr. Asif Farrukhi is a fiction-writer, critic and translator. Currently, he is the director of the Arzu Center for Regional Languages and Humanities at Habib University. Dr. Farrukhi is the co-founder of the Karachi Literature Festival and Adab Festival that is hosted in Karachi annually. In 1995 he received the Prime Minister's award for literature and in 2005 he was awarded the Tamgha-e-Imtiaz by the President of Pakistan.

Jibran Nasir
Jibran Nasir is a renowned lawyer, human rights activist and a politician. He has been involved in relief work through Elaj Trust and advocacy for marginalised communities through Pakistan For All. in addition to that he is working to strengthen the counter extreme narrative through Never Forget Pakistan. Moreover, he regularly engages youth on topics of extremism and social taboos and has spoken at a total of 40 national and international Universities.

Shireen Naqvi
She is the founder of Young Leaders Conference, and has helped launch School of Leadership in 2003. Besides serving as a Trustee for School of Leadership Foundation, she is on the Board for School of Leadership and is a Senior Associate at Navitus. She has worked extensively for the aim of building human capital with professionals, bureaucrats, students and academicians in the private, social and public sectors, as well as the armed forces.

Afzal Ahmed Syed
A leading contemporary Urdu poet and translator, he is known for his mastery of the Urdu language and poetic expression in both classic and modern sense. Currently, he is an associate professor of the Arzu Center for Regional Languages and Humanities at Habib University. Well-known for his experimental style of writing, he has published three collections of prose poems and one of ghazals so far, with an extensive knowledge of rhythm and personalized style in the Urdu language.

Massimo Ramaioli

Dr Massimo Ramaioli, is an assistant professor of Social Development and Policy at Habib University. His research focuses on the politics of Islam, social movements, and critical theory, in particular the work of Antonio Gramsci. Beyond these, he has interests in social constructivism, international relations theory, postcolonial studies and political economy. He is the co-founder of La Formoise – Critical Social Theory in the Middle East, a venue for reflections and commentaries on the region and beyond. He writes regularly for the Quadrante Futuro about the political economy of the Middle East.

Ameena Saiyid

Ameena Saiyid was the director of Oxford University Press (OUP) in Pakistan. She became the head of OUP Pakistan in 1988, becoming the first woman to ever head a multinational company in Pakistan. In 2005, she became the first Pakistani woman to be awarded the Order of the British Empire for her services to women’s rights, education, and intellectual property rights in Pakistan, and to Anglo-Pakistan relations. She is also the founder of the Karachi Literature Festival. In February 2013, she was conferred the prestigious French award of Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters for her work in promoting literary culture.

Dr. Aaron Mulvany

He is an associate professor of Social Development and Policy at Habib University. He holds a Ph.D. in South Asian Studies from the University of Pennsylvania, USA. Moreover he is amongst the founding faculty members at Habib and has spent the last seven years contributing to the structures, systems and curricula that serve all Habib Students. For the past three years Dr. Mulvany has been studying the historical development of the Balochi Banjo and the gharana of Gul Muhammad, the instrument’s inventor. He is the second banjo player to perform at the All Pakistan Music Conference.

Azra Abbas

A renowned Urdu writer who writes feminist urdu literature.In 1981, her first work was published, comprising a long feminist prose poem in the stream-of-consciousness form. She has produced three collections of poems and one of short stories, along with an autobiographical narrative. In addition to that she is the author of numerous books.

Atiya Abbas

She is the founder of Girls at Dhabas, an initiative to reclaim public spaces for women. She frequently engages in dialogue on gender, feminism, and safety and inclusion in public spaces. Moreover, she has set up a Behenchara (female solidarity) Corner at the Women of the World Festival. She recently organized a bike rally to protest street harassment; and regularly conducts multiple workshops and presentations on gender and public space.

Tanveer Anjum

Born in 1956 Tanveer Anjum holds a masters in English literature and TESL and has a doctorate in applied linguistics. She has been writing poetry for a long time. Her most interesting poems are the prose poems that revolve around characters that could be imaginary or real. he is a recipient of the Presidential Award, Izaz-i-Fazeelat (2000).

Hassan Manzar

He is a psychiatric doctor by profession. However, he has made a mark in the literary world through his exceptional short stories. Amongst all the short-story writers in India and Pakistan writing in Urdu today, he is credited to have the widest canvas in terms of characters and their settings.

Anis Haroon

She is a renowned journalist and social activist. She is the current Member National Commission for Human Rights Pakistan for the Sindh Region and the former Chairperson of the National Commission of Women Pakistan. In addition to that she is amongst the founding members of the Women Action Forum.

Attiya Dawood

Attiya Dawood is a celebrated Sindhi poet, writer, and activist. Her work highlights the oppression of women in the Pakistani society in the name of tradition.She is a recipient of the Sindh Adeeb Award from Akhil Bharat Sindhi Boli Ain Sahit Sabha, India.

Sara Malkani

Sara Malkani is an Advocacy Adviser at the Center for Reproductive Rights. She has written various journalistic articles for Dawn, The News amongst other newspapers on democracy, law, and women and children’s rights.

Zahida Hina

She is a noted Urdu columnist, essayist, short story writer, novelist, and dramatist. She has produced over 2000 journalistic articles which are of immense significance; she is an advocate against nuclear warfare. Her work experience ranges from Radio Pakistan, BBC Urdu and Voice of America to newspapers and dramas. In August 2006, she was nominated for Pakistan's highest award, the Pride of Performance, which she declined as a mark of protest against the military government in Pakistan.