Seven Pakistanis named in Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia list

ISLAMABAD: Forbes has included seven Pakistanis in its 30 Under 30 Asia list this year, recognising their work across fields including technology, finance, science, social impact and entertainment.

The publication described those selected as changemakers across 10 categories who are reshaping their industries. Among the Pakistanis featured were Syed Ismail in consumer and enterprise technology; Muhammad Furqan Karim Kidwai and Sarfraz Shahid Hussain in finance and venture capital; Maheera Ghani and Fahad Shahbaz in social impact; and actress Hania Aamir and filmmaker Saman Kamraan in entertainment.

Technology and finance honourees

Forbes said Syed Ismail co-founded Karachi-based Saraaf in 2021 to digitise commodity sourcing and improve transparency in the sector. The company is preparing to launch a mobile application for businesses sourcing materials such as onyx and cotton from Central and South Asia, with features including real-time pricing, shipment tracking, digitised contracts and live chats. In 2024, Saraaf also received a $5.3 million investment commitment from Shark Tank Pakistan.

In the finance and venture capital category, Muhammad Furqan Karim Kidwai and Sarfraz Shahid Hussain were recognised for co-founding Singapore-based Plouton AI. Forbes described the venture as an agentic automation platform designed to help midmarket companies automate finance workflows. The platform uses auditable browser-based agents to handle tasks such as invoicing, payroll processing and month-end reconciliation within existing tools including Xero, QuickBooks and Excel. According to Forbes, Kidwai launched the fintech venture after observing that finance teams in many emerging markets still depended heavily on spreadsheets and emails. The two Habib University graduates had earlier also co-founded YPay Financial Services, which offered a digital mutual funds investment app.

Science and social impact

Maheera Ghani, who completed a PhD in materials science from Cambridge University in 2025, was also named on the list. She is currently conducting postdoctoral research at Cambridge on ultra-thin semiconductors. Forbes also highlighted the WinSci Pakistan education project led by Ghani, which received the Nature Inspiring Women in Science award from the Estée Lauder Companies and Springer Nature in recognition of her efforts to encourage women to pursue careers in science.

Commenting on her inclusion, Ghani said:

Researching next-generation semiconductors at Cambridge University, innovating deep-tech technologies and working at the intersection of science, innovation, and leading impact has been an amazing journey filled with immense joy.

She added:

"I am overwhelmed with gratitude and pride to represent my country on such a prestigious platform and this recognition means so much to me personally,"

Fahad Shahbaz was recognised for founding the Youth General Assembly in 2015 at the age of 18. Forbes said the initiative was created to open a pathway for young Pakistanis into leadership and policymaking. It runs an annual 96-member assembly modelled on the UK parliament and mirroring Pakistan’s National Assembly, giving young participants a forum to debate public policy and produce recommendations. Forbes also noted that Shahbaz received the Diana Award in 2023 and is a member of the Pakistan Chapter of the World Economic Forum’s Global Shapers Community. He holds a Master of Laws degree from the University of Law in London.

Responding on X to his inclusion, Shahbaz wrote:

This recognition is not mine alone. It belongs to the people who believed in me, supported me and stood beside me throughout this journey.

He added that the social impact category was built on service, responsibility and the belief that meaningful change begins with people, and said:

"Pakistan’s greatest chapter is still being written and it is being written by its youth,"

Entertainment category

Actress Hania Aamir and filmmaker Saman Kamraan were included in the entertainment category of the Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia list.