Afrah Jamal

Published in Daily Times / 18 July 2014 The myth of the subjugated woman made one person laugh mirthlessly. ‘ …subjugated, really…where then did all these ladies come from? And why, o why is the foreign press not covering this side of Pakistan .’ It was a valid observation. The senior journalist, one of the few men invited to cover the event, appeared overwhelmed by the sight of so much enlightened moderation milling around the British High Commission that January afternoon. The first LADIESFUND® speed networking luncheon (Karachi), which is the result of a partnership between Dawood Global Foundation and British Deputy High Commission had recently added some Harvard style networking to the menu. The intimidating sounding concept was simply a chance for enterprising women from all over to come together, explore avenues of possible collaboration, update the client list, strengthen corporate connections, and be amazed by sheer number of talent gathered under one shady tree (it ...

Published in Daily Times / 23 June 2014 ‘ Come, it is an opportunity to meet people – the kind you don’t get to see anymore .’ Mekel Waqar’s invitation leads to Côté Jardin located inside the French Cultural Centre. A week ago it had hosted a lovely little exhibition by Pakistani / French artists . The cosmopolitan heart of Karachi has been in retreat; it now thrives behind fortified walls, and eyes the changing landscape with increasing wariness. Mekel, the go to person for visiting / resident foreigners brings the twain together. His mission is to roll out the welcome wagon, arrange mixers, and help expats navigate the cultural divide with ease. He is an InterNations Ambassador tasked with overseeing the Karachi Chapter, while manning the bridge linking city dwellers with the invisible expat community. InterNations was founded in 2007 by a trio of Germans (Malte Zeeck, Christian Leifeld, Philipp von Plato) and is a global network of expatriates with a presence in 190 count...

First Published in Economic Affairs (Apr 2014) P-36 They conquered Everest in their spare time & crafted empires; their names were featured in Forbes ‘30 under 30’. Somewhere along the way they had reset the bar. Their contributions had not gone un-noticed. The people who had made the list included trailblazers, trendsetters, risk-takers & crusaders, seen at the 6th LADIESFUND® Annual Women’s Awards. An event to salute an unlikely band of heroes who left a legacy of courage & compassion also acknowledged exceptional women on the rise. LADIESFUND® launched by Dawood Global Foundation (2007) & headed by Tara Uzra Dawood, celebrates these achievements by adding powerhouse women and their noble causes to their wall of fame. It also makes its core mission - Educate 1000 Girls, the lynchpin & encourages the entrepreneur within our ranks. The talented Alycia Dias, who performed the anthem & walked away with a musical scholarship, would be joined by other...