Noorul Huda Shah is a well-known and respected short story writer, playwright, poet, columnist, and broadcaster. She writes both in Urdu and her native language Sindhi. A familiar name in the Pakistani drama industry, she is famous for very popular serials including Jungle, Marvi, Bebak, Meri Adhuri Moahabat, Ajayb Ghar, Adhoora Milan, and Ishq Gumshuda. She now works as a

Zia Akhter Abbas, is Executive Vice President Inputs at the TCF. In this role, leads teams responsible for moving TCF towards being a more sustainable enterprise. He has a strong financial services and retailing background with a 17 year accomplished career in the banking industry. Zia served in executive management roles at Standard Chartered Bank, Royal Bank of Scotland, NIB

Ian Talbot is Emeritus Professor of Modern South Asian History at the University of Southampton where he was formerly Head of History, Director of the Centre for Imperial and Post-Colonial Studies and Director of the Humanities Graduate School. He has published and researched extensively in the fields of Colonial Punjab History, the 1947 Partition of India, and the History of

Zehra Nigah is one of the foremost Urdu poets of Pakistan. She was one of two female poets to gain prominence in the 1950s. She was born on 14 May 1937 in Hyderabad, India and migrated to Pakistan with her parents during the partition in 1947. Coming from a well-known literary and intellectual family, she counts Anwar Maqsood and Fatima

Zarmina Raza is the co-founder and co-host of both the truth-telling platform, The Crows Karachi, and the podcast, A Cup of Possibilitea. In 2020 she started a weekly reading and writing meet-up, Poetry in the Park. She also teaches A level Literature at KGS, Cedar, and Eden. She is currently on the AKU-IED Blog Editorial Board and has co-edited and

Zahida Raees Raji is an MPhil scholar of Balochi language and literature at the University of Balochistan. She has a also has a master’s degree in Balochi language and literature from the same university. A science graduate from the University of Karachi, she has a two-year diploma in computer science from the Sindh Board of Technical Education, Karachi and a

Zahida Quadri is Assistant Director Excavation, Culture, Tourism Antiquities and Archives Department, Government of Sindh.

Zafar Ali Hilaly is a Pakistani political analyst and diplomat who has previously served as an ambassador to Yemen, Nigeria, and (from February 2001) Italy. He was Special Secretary (Foreign Affairs) (G22) to the Prime Minister (1993–96); Special Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (1997–98); and Additional Foreign Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (1991–93). A columnist, he often writes for newspapers

Munawar Saeed is Pakistan’s veteran TV artist with a career of over four decades in the industry, having done roles in 200 films and more than 1000 television dramas. He is known for Moorat Aka Eunuch’s Wedding (2004); Anmol (1973); and Pehchan (1975). Some of his recent famous drama serials are Bunty I Love You; Mere Humrahi; Main Hari Piya;

Khalid Ahmad studied theatre at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA). Upon his return to Pakistan, he devoted himself fully to the performing arts. Since then his contribution to theatre and television drama has been immense. He also has a long experience of actor training and is presently the Head, Dramatic Studies, National Academy of Performing Arts,