Dr. Mufti Irshad Ahmad Aijaz obtained his Shahadat-ul-Alimiyyah (Masters in Arabic and Islamic Studies) from Jamiat-ul-Uloom Islamiyyah, Binnori Town, Karachi. Afterward, he completed his Takhassus fil-Iftaa (Specialization in Islamic Jurisprudence and Fatwa) from Jamia Dar-ul-Uloom, Karachi. He has also completed his MBA program from a leading private university in Karachi, Pakistan.

Currently, he serves as the Chairman, of the Shariah Advisory Committee of the State Bank of Pakistan, Chairman of the Shariah Advisory Committee of the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan, and Chairman and member, of AAOIFI Shariah Standard Committee-Karachi.

He is also a Member of the Sub-committee on Legal and Regulatory Framework by the Ministry of Finance, Government of Pakistan, a Member of the Working Group on Islamic Alternatives for Liquidity Management, by State Bank of Pakistan, Consultant, Shariah Review Bureau – Bahrain and Member, ICAP- Committee on Accounting & Auditing Standards for Interest-Free Modes of Financing and Investments.

He is actively involved in providing consultation for the development of policies and regulations for regulatory authorities and different Islamic financial institutions. He also regularly delivers lectures on Islamic Economics and Finance at different forums and educational institutions including the National Institute of Banking and Finance (State Bank of Pakistan) and the Centre for Islamic Economics (a division of Jamia Dar-ul-Uloom, Karachi).

Sheikh Shabbir Hasan Maisami has a Master’s in Arabic and Islamic Sciences and is a Mujtahid specializing in Islamic Education, Economics, Banking, and Justice Systems from Hawza Ilmiya of Qum.

He also has significant strategic and tactical leadership experience within the domains of Islamic teaching, education, and media. He is the Founder and Chairman of the Al-Sadiq (a.s) Institute of Islamic Banking, Finance & Takaful, a Member, of the Shariah Advisory Committee at the State Bank of Pakistan, and a Member of Shari’ah Board at Salaam Takaful Limited. He is Chairman of Zahra (S.A) Academy and currently, he is leading 11 different projects for the welfare and upbringing of the society.

Additionally, he is an Ex-Member of the Shariah Advisory Committee at the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) and an Ex-Member of the Board of Governors of the Pakistan Halal Authority (PHA).

Mufti Muhammad Ibrahim Essa is a well-known recognized Shariah Scholar in the field of Islamic Banking and Takaful. He has completed his Darse Nizami (Masters in Quran and Sunnah) and Takhassus fil Ifta (Specialization in Islamic Jurisprudence) from Jamiah Darul Uloom Karachi.

Currently, he is the Director & Chief Executive Officer of Alhamd Shariah Advisory Services (Pvt.) Limited. Besides, he is working as a Teacher and Member of Darul Ifta Jamiah Darul Uloom Karachi. Addtionaly, he is associated as the Chairman Shariah Board of United Bank Limited.

He has also served as Chairman of Shariah Board Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited, Member of Shariah Board-Habib Metropolitan Bank Limited, and Member of Shariah Board of the Bank of Khyber. He was associated with Ernst & Young Ford Rhodes Sidat Hyder & Co. as Shariah Advisor from 2007 to 2015. He is also serving as Shariah Advisor for number of Islamic Financial Institutions both domestic and international including, Kompanion-Investment Kyrgyzstan, Craft 3 Investment-USA, Atrium Underwriting Syndicate-Lloyds of London, EFU Takaful and Orient Rental Modaraba. He has also written more than four thousand Fatawas on different topics.

Mufti Uzair Bilwani completed his initial Islamic education at Darululoom Azadville in South Africa where he studied various aspects of Islamic sciences including Arabic grammar, Islamic law, Tafseer ul Qur’an, and Islamic history. He then enrolled at Darululoom Karachi where he specialized in Islamic law (Fiqh) and qualified as a Mufti. There he was able to study under some of the world’s renowned scholars including Mufti Mohammad Taqi Usmani and has written over 300 Fatwas on complex issues in today’s society including one of the first fatwas on the use of e-taxi services (Uber). He has also worked as a Shariah analyst at Meezan Bank Limited. Currently, he is a Director - Research & Development of Alhamd Shariah Advisory Services (Pvt.) Limited.

Molana Syed Mazhar Abbas Zaidi is highly qualified academically and professionally in the fields of Islamic Studies. He serves as an Executive Member at the Al-Sadiq (a.s) Institute of Islamic Banking, Finance & Takaful and Member of the Committee on Islamic Capital Market Development, and Islamic Accounting and Auditing Standards at the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP). He is also a Shariah Board member of Markaze Ifta wa Huqooqe Shariah and Markaz-ul-Istifta Al Imamia Pakistan. Additionally, he is associated with the Halal Development Council of Pakistan.

He is also a Trainer at the National Institute of Banking and Finance (NIBAF) and was a visiting faculty member at the University of Karachi’s Islamic Learning Department.

Furthermore, he is a Certified Shariah Advisor and Auditor (CSAA) and a Certified Islamic Professional Accountant (CIPA), from the Accounting and Auditing Organization for Islamic Financial Institutions (AAOIFI), Bahrain.

Prof. Dr. Noor Ahmad Shahtaz holds a Shahadah Al-Alamia from Tanzem ul Madaris Lahore. M.A (Islamic Studies), M.A (Arabic), LL.B from the University of Karachi. He has done Ph.D. in Islamic Studies from Karachi University on the topic of the Hudood System of Punishment.

Dr. Shahtaz is a member of the Shariah Advisory Board, at State Bank of Pakistan. He has 20 years of experience in Darul Ifta and 27 years of teaching experience in the University of Karachi, Sheikh Zayed Islamic Research Centre, and 5 years in different universities, madaris, institutions, etc.

He had been a member of the Council of Islamic Ideology Govt. of Pakistan for three years and a member of the Pakistan Halal Authority Govt. of Pakistan. He is a Registered Shariah Advisor with the SECP. At present, he is Sheikh ul Hdith (teaching Hadith Sharif) in Darul Uloom Hanfia Tariq Road, Karachi.

Dr Fakhara Rizwan is an accomplished professional, uniquely bridging the worlds of law, corporate governance and financial crime compliance. She is a scholar, author, corporate lawyer and certified director. Commanding a rare expertise as the only academician with a PhD in corporate laws governing takeovers and merger activity in Pakistan, she offers invaluable insights into her field. Her seminal work, ‘Corporate Takeovers and Mergers –A Study on the Bank Role as Adviser’, serves as a founding work on the subject, having been published in two editions so far.

Her ongoing projects, including notable books on ‘Financial Crimes’ and ‘Effectiveness of Board of Directors,’ underscore her prolific contributions to contemporary legal scholarship. Beyond her books, she regularly writes articles for law journals and newspapers, covering topics ranging from corporate laws and governance to social issues, with a keen focus on gender diversity.

She possesses extensive knowledge of the Islamic financial system and has collaborated with leading scholars to advance Islamic financing. She has served both Islamic banks and leading Shariah advisory firms. Since she joined PSX, she has been pivotal in promoting Shariah-compliant capital markets. She conceived and implemented the idea to establish a Shariah focus group for the capital market under the aegis of PSX, bringing together scholars from various schools of thought and industry experts to benefit from their insights and guidance to enhance Shariah-compliant capital market offerings.

Her expertise spans across corporate governance, shariah governance and ESG. With a strong foundation in these three key pillars, she brings a holistic and comprehensive understanding of effective governance practices. She is recognised by the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan as an approved supervisor, enabling her to supervise PhD candidates on their research journey. Through her teaching roles, she educates aspiring professionals and contributes to the development of future leaders.

As a Certified Financial Crime Specialist, she aligns with the global community as a part of the esteemed Association of Certified Financial Crime Specialists. Additionally, her Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Professional Certification reflects her dedication to fostering diversity and inclusion. This commitment also extends to ESG practices. After extensive training at the Singapore International Mediation Centre and comprehensive assessment, she became the SIMC Qualified International Mediator. She actively advocates mediation for corporate disputes.

Mr. Omar Mustafa Ansari is a fellow member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Pakistan (ICAP). In his previous role, he was Partner-Assurance & Head of Islamic Finance (Pakistan & Afghanistan) at Ernst & Young Ford Rhodes Sidat Hyder, a member firm of Ernst & Young.

Currently, he is the Secretary General, of the Accounting and Auditing Organization for Islamic Financial Institutions (AAOIFI). At AAOIFI, he has been responsible primarily for leading the process of development of accounting, auditing, governance, and ethics standards for the global Islamic finance industry, besides managing the overall affairs of the institution.

He is a member (ex-chairman) of ICAP’s committee responsible for the development of Islamic financial accounting standards for Pakistan and also a member of the Insurance Committee leading the accounting regulations development for Takaful. He was a member of the Securities & Exchange Commission of Pakistan Shari’ah Board and part of the committee for the revision of Takaful Rules, besides being part of several committees and task forces of the State Bank of Pakistan. He was also an advisor to the Saudi Organization for Certified Public Accountants (SOCPA) on Shari’ah issues concerning IFRS adoption.

Mr. Omar’s key areas of expertise include assurance and advisory services to Islamic financial institutions, including Islamic accounting advisory, audits, Shari’ah Audits, corporate finance advisory, structuring of Shari’ah compliant transactions, accountancy and financial reporting, Islamic finance training, financial modeling, risk management & development and review of manuals and systems.

Mr. Ahmed Ali Siddiqui is a seasoned professional with extensive experience in Islamic finance and compliance. Currently serving as SEVP and Group Head of Shariah Compliance at Meezan Bank Limited since January 2002. Mr. Siddiqui has also held significant roles such as Product Manager for both Islamic Housing and Car Finance. In addition to contributions at Meezan Bank, Mr. Siddiqui is a member of the ICAP Committee for Interest-Free Modes of Accounting and acts as the Founding and Managing Trustee of Ihsan Trust, which provides interest-free loans for higher education in Pakistan. Furthermore, Mr. Siddiqui is the Founding Director of the Center for Excellence in Islamic Finance at the Institute of Business Administration and serves on the Advisory Committee at the Center for Islamic Economics, imparting knowledge on various Islamic finance topics. Previously, Mr. Siddiqui was the Senior Vice Chairman of the Islamic Banking & Takaful Sub Committee at the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce & Industry. Mr. Siddiqui holds an MBA in MIS and Islamic Finance and a BBA in MIS and Finance from the Institute of Business Administration.

Dr. Irum Saba is the Associate Professor of Institute of Business Administration, Karachi and has more than 17 years of progressive regulatory, research, training, and teaching experience with organizations of international repute. She trained more than 6000 employees in Pakistan’s financial sector and taught more than 3000 students in Pakistan.

She has extensive regulatory experience with specific focus to promote women empowerment, organisational development and Islamic banking and Finance while working in the Islamic Banking Department of SBP. She is a Shari’ah-registered financial planner (Shari’ah RFP). She holds the Chartered Islamic Finance Professional (CIFP) credential from INCEIF with distinction and PhD in Islamic Finance from INCEIF. She holds M.Com with distinction and PGD in Islamic Banking and Insurance from Institute of Islamic Banking and Insurance (IIBI), London. Her areas of interest are Political Economy, Management, Shari’ah, Wealth planning and Management, Islamic microfinance, corporate governance, and Islamic finance. Currently, she is also the Chairperson of the SECP’s Islamic Capital Market Development Committee (ICMDC).

Mr. Muhammad Farhan Ul Haq Usmani holds a Baccalaureate in Business Administration, Commerce, Master’s and M. Phil. in Economics from the University of Karachi, Pakistan. He is also a PhD research Scholar in Economics. He is a Certified Islamic Banker from the Center for Islamic Economics (CIE), (A Division of Jamia Dar ul Uloom Karachi, Chaired by Justice Muhammad Taqi Usmani). His main research interests include Islamic Capital Markets, Shariah Compliant Funds & Asset Management, Islamic Banking Product & Services Development, Islamic Financial Advisory, and Shariah Audit & Compliance.

Mr. Usmani joined Meezan Bank Limited in the year 2005 where his main areas of responsibility include Product Development & Implementation, Islamic Banking Policy making & Implementation, Islamic finance training, Shariah Controls, Shariah Compliance & Audit, and Islamic Financial & Shariah Advisory.

Prior to joining Meezan Bank, he worked with various Professional Advisory & Consulting Firms where he was involved in providing consultancy services related to Accounting, Auditing, Taxation, and ERP systems development & Implementation.

Mr. Usmani is a frequent national & international speaker and visiting faculty member at various leading institutions like IBA Karachi, NIBAF (National Institute of Banking & Finance) – A Division of State Bank of Pakistan, Institute of Bankers Pakistan (IBP), CIE and others. He is also a founding member of the Karachi Stock Exchange’s Index Committee of the KMI 30 Index, Pakistan’s first-ever Shariah Compliant Index, and the KMI All Shares Index. He is also a member of the Academic Committee of the Centre for Islamic Economics (CIE), a Member Academic Board and Board of Faculty at COMMECS, a Member of the Corporate Advisory Board, and a Member of the steering committee of ORIC at the University of Karachi and Member, Consultative Board – LUMS (CEIF).

Mr. Faraz Younus Bandukda, CFA is the founding Chief Executive at Al Hilal Shariah Advisors and Al Hilal Securities Advisors as well as the Co-founder at Hilal Invest. Mr. Bandukda is an entrepreneurial evangelist and has worked alongside a number of startups advising them on product development and finances. An Islamic Capital Markets expert, He brings with him more than 17 years of experience in Shariah-compliant investments and wealth management along with financial structures and fundraising. Before starting Al Hilal, he worked for Al Meezan Investments heading the firm’s product development and shariah compliance function. He holds a bachelor’s in Computer Science from FAST - National University and an MBA from IBA Karachi. He is also a CFA charter holder and has completed a Post Graduate Diploma in Islamic Banking and Finance. He also serves as an Independent Director of Pakistan Synthetics Limited (a company listed on the Pakistan Stock Exchange). He also has to his credit idea initiation and development of the flagship Islamic index KMI-30 on the Pakistan Stock Exchange.

Mr. Aamir Mushtaq Kanju is a seasoned finance professional with over a decade of experience in the capital markets and investment management industry. His diverse expertise spans capital market research, investment analysis, product development, and strategic business initiatives.

Currently, Mr. Aamir serves as the Deputy General Manager and Department Lead at the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX), where he heads the Research and Product Management department. In this role, he manages a team of eight professionals and has led numerous cross-functional projects. Notably, his contributions towards Exchange have been pivotal in introducing significant market innovations in Pakistan, including the launch of exchange-traded funds (ETFs), the development of the Government Debt Primary Market Auction System, and the enhancement of PSX’s Market Data business.

Mr. Aamir played a crucial role in the successful transition to the new trading system acquired from the Shenzhen Stock Exchange, overseeing product requirement gathering, mapping best practices, assisting in user testing, and the migration process. Additionally, he has contributed towards Islamic Finance and Sustainability related initiatives.

Prior to his tenure at PSX, Mr. Aamir worked for AL Meezan Investment Management Limited for four years, focusing on new product development, investment research, identifying business opportunities, strategic planning, valuations, and investment analysis.

Mr. Aamir holds the CFA Charter and is a Chartered Accountant from the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales. He is also an experienced member of ACCA and possesses a strong foundation in data-driven problem-solving and leadership.

Mr. Aamir is a PSX nominee for various industry committees, including the SECP’s committee on “Promoting Islamic Finance in the Non-Bank Financial Sector” and ICAP’s technical committee on “Sustainability.”