ISLAMABAD: Leading figures from public life, literature, policymaking and business gathered to mark the 100th birth anniversary of Syed Babar Ali at the launch of Syed Babar Ali: A Centennial Tribute, a book by Muhammad Azfar Ahsan highlighting the life and contributions of the veteran industrialist, educationist and philanthropist.
The ceremony was organised by the Corporate Pakistan Group and Nutshell Group in Islamabad.
On the occasion, Speakers noted that it was rare for a person to be celebrated as a hero during his lifetime, adding that Syed Babar Ali was among the few to receive such an honour through a book written by Azfar Ahsan.
Noted poet and intellectual Iftikhar Arif spoke about his relationship with Syed Babar Ali and said, “People talk about his contributions to business, industry and education, but very few know about his services to language, literature and the arts. Syed Babar Ali has preserved languages, literature, calligraphy and a wealth of traditional and regional knowledge in a way that no single person anywhere in the world has done.”
Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb said he had started his career with the Packages Group under the mentorship of Syed Babar Ali and remained associated with the group to this day.
“The sharpness, intellect, perspective and vision of Syed Babar Ali remain amazing even today. People build institutions, and Syed Babar Ali is an institution,” he added.
Federal Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination Senator Dr Musadik Malik recalled his first interaction with Syed Babar Ali in the 1980s and described him as a rare visionary.
“Syed Babar Ali was a rare visionary who saw opportunities where no one else did. From industrial vision to sustainability, he was way ahead of his time,” he said.
Former Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Zubair Mahmood Hayat said, “The world has many isolated success stories, but there are very few instances where durable institutions are established. Syed Babar Ali has the distinction of establishing not just one but numerous such institutions.”
Former Pakistan Air Chief Sohail Aman highlighted Syed Babar Ali’s contributions to economic development and education.
He described LUMS as one of the few educational institutions recognised globally for excellence and as an institution established by a single individual.
Pakistan Mercantile Exchange Chairman Nadeem Karamat said Syed Babar Ali was one of the architects of Pakistan’s financial landscape, citing his longstanding engagement with the World Bank, the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the Bank of America.
CEO of Planetive Ayla Majid spoke about her time at LUMS and her interactions with Syed Babar Ali, saying that his contributions were deeply woven into Pakistan’s industrial and academic fabric.
Book author Muhammad Azfar Ahsan recalled how he came to write the book, which was linked to Syed Babar Ali’s 100th birthday in June.
Syed Babar Ali said, “The purpose of the book and its message is to be an inspiration for the younger generation.”
He also thanked everyone who had contributed to the book.
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