Pakistan is a country blessed with the best of everything. Pakistan not only possesses all kinds of landscapes such as deserts, rain forests, hills, mountains, barren terrains, it’s also home to some of the most inspiring people in the world.

1. Abdul Sattar Edhi

Source: The American Muslim

A social activist, philanthropist, and humanitarian bar none,  Abdul Sattar Edhi has been running the Edhi Foundation in Pakistan for the better part of six decades. The foundation owns the world’s largest ambulance service, and operates free nursing homes, orphanages, clinics, women’s shelters, food kitchens, and rehabilitation centers for drug addicts and mentally ill individuals all across the country.

2. Air Commodore MM Alam Khan

Source: NewsPakistan.Pk

Pakistan’s very own fighter ace of the Air Force, then Squadron Leader MM Alam, was Pakistan’s top scoring fighter ace in the 1965 Indo-Pak War, downing nine Indian fighters in his F-86 Sabre fighter during the war. He holds the world record for downing five Indian aircrafts in under a minute, with the first four coming in only 30 seconds, a record that still stands to this day.

3. Flight Lieutenant Ayesha Farooq

Source: DailyMail UK

Flight Lieutenant Ayesha Farooq, at the age of 26, is one of only five female fighter pilots in the Pakistan Air Force. She is the first female Pakistani female fighter-pilot who is combat-ready.

4. Moin Akhtar

Source: WordPress

Arguably one of the greatest performers from Pakistan, Moin Akhtar was a man like no other. His versatility knew no bounds and his service to the Pakistani stage setup and silver screen can never be matched. He was a humorist, an impeccable impersonator, an intelligent poet, and a spontaneous, yet humble human being who was loved by all.

5. Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan

Source: BBC

The man with an astonishing range of vocal capacity, the legendary Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan was considered to possess the greatest voice ever recorded. His voice transcended not only in time, but also language and religion. Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan significantly strengthened Pakistan’s global image.

6. Dr. Abdus Salam

 Source: The Muslim Times

Pakistan’s first Nobel laureate, Dr. Abdus Salam was and still is a source of pride for the Pakistanis. He essentially helped develop the scientific infrastructure in the country and promoted scientific research in Pakistan, which included the establishment of Pakistan’s two major scientific organizations – Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) and the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC).

7. Mir Zafar Ali

 
Source: Jang

A visual effects specialist of incredible verve, Mir Zafar Ali brought Pakistan its first Academy Award for Best Visual Effects in 2008 for The Golden Compass, while winning another Oscar as a visual effects artist for the animated feature film, Frozen, in 2014. Mir Zafar Ali, a Beaconhouse and FAST alumnus, has worked on some of the biggest blockbuster movies to come out of Hollywood, including The Day After Tomorrow, Spider-Man 3 and Life of Pi.

8. Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy

Source: Friday Times

Credited with winning the first independent Oscar by a Pakistani for her documentary ‘Saving Face,’ filmmaker and journalist Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy previously won an Emmy award for her documentary ‘Pakistan: Children of the Taliban’ in 2010. Apart from her Emmy and Oscar success, Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy also became the first non-American to win the Livingston Award for Young Journalists, which is part of the largest all-media prizes in the USA.

9. Ali Moeen Nawazish

Source: DailyMail UK

The wonderboy from Rawalpindi who holds the record for the most A grades in the GCE A-Level. Ali Moeen Nawazish scored 22 A grades out of a possible 24, and etched his name in the Guiness Book of World Records. Apart from being a graduate Cambridge University, Ali Moeen Nawazish runs several schools and educational projects for the youth of the country. He also has a brilliant sense of humor for laughing off some pretty mean people.

10. Arfa Karim Randhawa

  Source: DailyMail UK

Arfa Karim gained global fame in 2004 when she became the youngest Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP) at the age of nine (a record she held until 2008). She lived just long enough to proudly put Pakistan on the map for something positive, leaving behind a legacy that will be very hard to match.

11. Dr. Adeeb Rizvi

Source: Meanwhile In Pakistan

The head of Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation (SIUT), Dr. Adeeb Rizvi is a pioneer of providing quality treatment for kidney-related diseases. What started off as a journey with an eight-bed facility for kidney patients in 1971, the hospital now boasts the status of being an institution that provides impeccable services in urology, nephrology, transplantation, and liver-related diseases free of cost! A great servant for humanity, Dr. Rizvi was awarded the Ramon Magsaysay Award for his services to humanity.

12. Namira Salim

Source: Brecorder

Arguably one of Pakistan’s silent heroes, Namira Salim was the first Pakistani to travel into space, giving her the honor of being Pakistan’s first astronaut. Namira Salim is also the first Pakistani to reach the North Pole and the South Poles. She holds the record of being the first Asian to skydive over Mount Everest.

13. Samina Baig

Source: News Pakistan

The first Pakistani woman and the youngest Muslim woman to climb the Mount Everest, Samina Baig is the only Pakistani woman to have conquered the seven highest mountain peaks of the world – Mount McKinley, Mount Elbrus, Mount Kilimanjaro, Mount Aconcagua, Carstensz Pyramid, Mount Vinson and Mount Everest.

14. Naseem Hameed

Source: Express Tribune

The fastest woman in South Asia and a gold medalist at the 2010 South Asian Games, Naseem Hameed is Pakistan’s ‘Queen of Tracks’.

15. Jahangir Khan

Source: nocpakistan

This list would be incomplete without the man who holds the greatest winning streak in sports history, Jahangir Khan. A superhuman and champion like the world had never seen before, Jahangir Khan is a world Squash legend. He was the youngest World Open Champion (at 17 years old), won 10 consecutive British Open Championships, and went on an unbeaten run of 555 consecutive matches over a period of more than 5 years!

Be proud Pakistan!