About Us

Aims & Objectives

To set up English medium schools and colleges in Pakistan and Azad Kashmir to impart quality education for girls and boys of poor families particularly from the backward and rural areas.
To set up Teachers Training Institutes for female graduates particularly from rural areas to enable them to become high quality English medium primary school teachers.
To use the established schools and Teacher Training Institutes as resource centers for replicating quality schools throughout the country.
To upgrade the skills of teachers from other schools in the respective areas.

Founding Members

Major Gen. (R) M. Rahim Khan, H.J

Former Chief of General Staff, Pakistan Army who later on served as Pakistan’s Ambassador to Zimbabwe and Malaysia and subsequently as Secretary General, Ministry of Defence, Government of Pakistan and Chairman, PIA and Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority.

Late Sardar M. Habib Khan

A forestry expert who after holding various senior positions as a civil servant served as Development Advisor (with minister’s rank) of the governments of Khyber PakhtoonKha and Azad Jamu & Kashmir.

Mr. M. Rasheed Khan

Currently KEF’s Trustee who is former Executive Director, Asian Development Bank, Manila and Chairman, Pakistan Banking Council and United Bank Limited.

Late Col. (R) M. Naseer Khan, Founding Secretary to The Board of Trustees

Late Col. (R) M. Naseer Khan, former Pakistan’s Ambassador to Mozambique and South Africa.

Board Of Trustees

Dr. Zafar Iqbal Qadir, Chairman KEF

"A development professional who is committed to promote quality schooling for the underprivileged"

Taaleem Foundation 1989 – Present (28 years)

Educating and engineering social change through use of innovative technologies in education sector for the common masses in the remote districts of Pakistan. Technology is the game changer. Schooling only delivers if it meets tomorrow's needs and requirements. Details at www.tf.edu.pk

Mr. M Rasheed Khan, Founding Trustee

He joined the Reserve bank of India, the central bank of pre-partition India in 1945 as a probationer. In 1947 his services were transferred to state Bank of Pakistan, the central bank of the new country, Pakistan. His last senior position in the state Bank in 1975 was of Executive Director When he was selected by the Govt. of Pakistan as Executive Director of Asian Development Bank, Manila. After doing his stint for 5 Years in Manila he was reassigned to Pakistan and was appointed as chairman, Pakistan Banking Council, a statutory body created by the government to look after and monitor the functioning of country’s five nationalized banks viz. National bank of Pakistan, Habib Bank Limited, United Bank Limited, MCB Bank Limited and Allied Bank Limited. He retired from this position in1988. Since then he has been closely associated with Kashmir Education Foundation as its founding trustee and as the founding director of Green Star Social Marketing (Pvt.) Limited, a company incorporated under the company law which has been deeply involved in population planning, mother and child health care and eradication of T.B from the country.

Air Marshal (Retired) Shahid Lateef

Air Marshal Shahid Lateef joined the PAF in September, 1971 and was commissioned in April, 1974. As the top appointment holder in PAF Academy, he graduated with top honours, and was awarded the coveted Sword of Honour. Due to his outstanding performance on the Chinese F-6 aircraft, he converted on to the French Mirages at an early stage of his career. Then he was selected in the elite group of first six PAF pilots to undergo F-16 conversion in the USA. Shahid Latif was the first pilot to ferry the F-16 from USA to Pakistan in 1982, and subsequently, formed part of the pioneer team for training pilots in Pakistan on the F-16 weapon system. He along with these very pilots flew numerous combat missions in defense of the country at the height of Afghan war in the 1980s. He was sent to UAE where he was entrusted with the command of a Mirage squadron; this honour is unprecedented in the Arab countries as only the locals are given such sensitive and prestigious appointments. With this high- profile record, he was selected to command a fighter squadron, fighter wing and a fighter base in the PAF.

On being promoted to the rank of Air vice Marshal, he was handed over the JF-17 project; a programme that was not able to take off due to serious difficulties, forcing the PAF to continue to operate obsolete equipment. Through his relentless efforts, the JF-17 was picked up from the drawing board and ultimately launched into the skies. The completion of this modern fighter aircraft in less than three years is a record in the recent aircraft development history. It was due to his persevering commitment and the unparalleled progress made by this project that he led this very prestigious national strategic programme for five years as the Chief Project Director. The PAF and indeed the country are indebted to him for this supreme contribution that he has made towards building up the operational capability of the PAF. The aircraft has tremendous potential for export and could thus play a major role in uplifting the national economy by earning hundreds of millions of dollars for Pakistan.

The JF-17 has entered into the PAF and it would go on replacing all aircraft on the PAF inventory except the F-16s which have a remaining life. After this proud achievement, AVM Shahid was promoted to the rank of Air Marshal and appointed as the Deputy Chief of Air Staff (Operations). One and a half year later, he took over as Vice Chief of the Air Staff. He is a graduate of Naval War Course and the Armed Forces War Course. He has led the PAF in many war games held at the National level. Despite his enviable career, he is a very polite, humble and God fearing individual.

Mr. S.M. Nadim Shafiqullah

Mr. Shafiqullah is an experienced professional with extensive experience of trade and industry in Pakistan and abroad. He has been instrumental in attracting debt and equity support from Commonwealth Development Corporation, International Finance Corporation and other leading financial institutions for several industrial and commercial projects. As an independent non-executive director, Mr. S.M. Nadim Shafiqullah’s association with the board dates back to March 2008. He is also the Chairman of the Audit Committee of the Company and a certified director from the Pakistan Institute of Corporate Governance (PICG).

Mrs. Sarwat Tahira Habib

Chief Collector Customs (North), Islamabad

Operational head of Customs Collectorate Peshawar, Islamabad, Sambrial (Sialkot) and Gilgit-Baltistan, entrusted with multiple functions including HRM, Revenue Collection ad Border enforcement.

Maintenance of liaison with Federation of Pakistan, Chamber of Commerce and Industries and other Trade bodies for redressal of their grievances and introduction of plans, provision of input to Federal Board of Revenue for policy formulation.

Director Intelligence and Investigation, Federal Board of Revenue, Islamabad.

Chief Management (Customs), Federal Board of Revenue

Career planning and human resource management of officers/official (7500+) of Pakistan Customs. Introduced institutional restructuring of Pakistan Customs focusing on strengthening of support function including Reform & Automation Risk Management, Input Output-Coefficient Organizing and Intellectual Property Rights. Ensured merit-based human resource recruitment, training and removal of functional overlap leading to improved integrity, morale and operational efficiency of the work force.

Chief (International Customs), Federal Board of Revenue

Tariff related budgetary proposal, legislation and policy input to Pakistan’s international trade diplomacy. Represented Pakistan Customs in Bilateral Customs Agreement negotiations and finalization.

Liaison with WTO, WCO, WIPO Secretariats USAID, DFID and World Bank/ADB.

Consultations with national stakeholders in the formulation of policy standards on WTO bilateral trade, regional issues. Assisted NTC in cases involving imposition of anti-dumping duty.

Monitored implementation of Customs reforms and prepared reports thereon for the top management of the FBR, with a focus on compliance of international agreements under WTO and WCO and Customs Enforcement.

Director Intelligence and Investigation, Federal Board of Revenue

As administrative head, supervised enforcement of internal controls in all field formations of customs, sales tax and federal excise across Pakistan involving anti-smuggling, combating tax evasion, tax frauds, under-invoicing.

Planned and implemented an integrity management system for FBR.

Added Responsibilities:

Director General I&I-FBR, Islamabad August to November, 2009.

Collector of Customs Islamabad March 2010-February 2011.

Collector of Customs, Islamabad

As administrative head, supervised revenue collection and enforcement of customs laws at all customs stations in Rawalpindi/Islamabad and Gilgit-Baltistan. HR management of 700+ personal.

Liaison and correspondence with other ministries of Government of Pakistan including ministries of Finance, Commerce, Investment, Industries and National Tariff Commission.

Additional Director, Directorate of I&I-FBR Islamabad

Operational management, collection of revenue, risk profiling and enforcement. Focal person for Tax Administration Reform Project for FBR as member of a sub-committee of the team worked on Project Preparation Facility for Revenue Mobilization.

Identified requirements for automation and modernization of the existing business processes of the Customs Intelligence according to international best practices.

Additional Collector Customs, Sales Tax and Federal Excise Rawalpindi

Officer-in-charge responsible for supervising implementation of tax laws and policies and quasi-judicial officer for adjudicated tax disputes filed under federal tax laws.

Human resource management 400+ tax officials of the Collectorate.

Lead and managed teams of tax collectors, auditors and intelligence officers for effective implementation and enforcement of Tax laws. Additional Director, Directorate General of Training (Customs, Sales Tax and Central Excise), Islamabad. Planned and implemented capacity development program for the staff and officers of Pakistan Customs involving design, co-ordination and evaluation of training programs, including hundred courses on IPR, WTO, GATT, GATs, TRIPs, TRIMs, audit, tax laws, enforcement and tax fraud. In 2000 organized special seminars and workshops for educating trade and customs personnel on WTO matters.Secretary Customs, Sales Tax and Fixed Taxes, Central Board of Revenue Islamabad As the focal person, co-ordinated with multilateral agencies and development partners on issues of tax policy.Processing of cases of anti dumping and countervailing duties received from concerned quarters. Coordination with the Ministry of Commerce regarding formulation of Trade Policy and making it industry and investment oriented. Prepared a special report for the Public Accounts Committee of National Assembly, involving follow up and finalization of audit reports from 1985 to 1994. Assistant/Deputy Collector Customs, Sales Tax and Central Excise IslamabadOn first career assignment, performed varied responsibilities including HR management, facilitation of international passengers, coordination with diplomatic Corps and donor organizations. Prevention of narcotics/arms smuggling in co-ordination with other law enforcement agencies; revenue collection, taxpayers’ audit, industrial surveys and widening of tax base. HR management.

Mr. Pervez Suffi

Mr. Parvez Sufi is a Fellow Member of The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales. He started his career as a practicing chartered accountant ultimately setting up his own firm. In 1992 he became the CEO of Pharmagen Ltd., a leading producer of pharmaceutical active ingredients, and to-date he holds that position. Mr. Sufi is also the CEO of Pharmagen Healthcare Ltd. since 2007, a social enterprise which is providing clean drinking water to lower income communities in Lahore and CEO of M.H. Sufi Foundation since 1995 a non-profit, which is providing quality education to rural children through its network of schools in Hafizabad District

Muhammad Akram Khan-Cheema

Akram is an independent Education Management Consultant with nearly fifty years of experience within the British education system He is chairman of Executive Committee for the International

Board for Educational Research and Resources (IBERR) and Deputy Chair of KEF UK.

Lieutenant General (Retired) Taufiq Rafiq

Lieutenant General TaufiqRafiq was commissioned in 1975 in Corps of Engineers. He served in Pakistan Army for 38 years from Oct 1975 to Dec 2013. During his service in the army he held various Command, Staff and Instructional appointments. As Brigadier, he undertook extensive development works in Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) during his tenure as Commander Corps Engineers at Peshawar for 3 years. As General Officer, he served as Director General Defence Complex Islamabad (DCI), Director General Frontier Works Organization (FWO), Deputy Engineer-in-Chief, Director General Engineers and Engineer-inChief at General Headquarters.He is a graduate of Military College of Engineering, Command and Staff College Quetta and National Defence University Islamabad. He has done Masters, M Phil and PhD in Civil Engineering from Stanford University, USA. He is member of Pakistan Engineering Council and fellow of the Institute of Engineers, Pakistan.He was awarded Hilal-i-Imtiaz (Military) for his commendable and distinguished military service.

Brigadier (Retired) Muhammad Jamil Khan

Brigadier (Retired) Muhammad Jamil Khan got commission in Pakistan Army in 1984. He retired from the army in September 2013 after serving for 29years. He has been associated with KEF since its inception. He contributed very meaningfully in KEF drive to promote education for underprivileged students. During 2005 earthquake while being in the army he worked relentlessly for over four months with KEF in the relief and rehabilitation work for earthquake affected people in Azad Kashmir. In 2010 unprecedented flood he assisted the stranded people in Rajan Pur and`Jampur areas in Southern Punjab from the platform of KEF.

Dr. Mrs. Amineh Hoti

Dr Amineh Hoti is the Executive Director of Markaz-e-Ilm, the Centre for Dialogue & Action (CD&A) founded at Lucy Cavendish College, University of Cambridge. CD&A promotes peace education.Dr. Amineh Hoti is the founding director of Markaz-e-Ilm, the Centre for Dialogue & Action (CD&A). She has pioneered new courses on respecting the other, which have been taught at the University of Cambridge and in Pakistan at several universities including at FCCU and NUST. Under her direction, the CD&A team published a textbook for students and another for training teachers. The textbooks are peace education curriculum on Ilm, Adab aur Insaaniyat (Knowledge & Respect for Humanity). Dr Hoti is a member of the Curriculum Committee of the Advisory Committee, Ministry of Education & Professional Training, Government of Pakistan. In the UK, she was a member of SACRE, the body that advises the government on Religious Education and Good Citizenship.She founded two other peace education Centres at the University of Cambridge for research and teaching inter-cultural and inter-religious dialogue between people of different faiths and cultures. She did her PhD in Anthropology at the University of Cambridge, UK, after completing her B.Sc. in Anthropology at the London School of Economics and Political Sciences (LSE, UK). Dr Hoti outlined the first on-site and e-learning course on the subject of respecting the other in the 800-year history of the University of Cambridge. At Ridley Hall, she taught Islam and, at the Woolf Institute, she taught “Islam and understanding the Other” to Imams, Priests and Rabbis. The Founder of the Woolf Institute in Cambridge, Dr Edward Kessler, who worked closely with Dr. Hoti wrote about her: “Dr. Hoti is an outstanding pioneer in the study and teaching of interfaith relations. Her work is crucial in our understanding of relations between different religions and in fostering better relations.”Along with other scholars and students, Dr. Hoti was invited in 2015 and 2016 to the White House for the President’s interfaith and community campus challenge. She was on a panel at Georgetown University with delegates from around the world. She has taught a class on peace building and mutual respect at the Foreign Service Training Institute in Washington DC, and lectured to 2000 people at the Chautauqua Institute’s Hall of Philosophy.On Professor Akbar S. Ahmed’s research team, she travelled on three different projects: “Journey into Islam” into the Muslim world (Indonesia, Pakistan); “Journey into America” (Texas and Houstan) and “Journey into Europe” (UK, Ireland, Germany, Spain, Italy, Bosnia, and Denmark) to interview and talk to scholars, policy makers, religious leaders and ordinary people on how to work towards peace in today’s world. She is the Associate Producer, Scriptwriter and Cinematographer in the film production crew of the research film, Journey into Europe. She has written several articles for the Washington Post, the Huffington Post, the Friday Times, The Express Tribune, Pakistan Link, American Muslim, Hilal magazine, Lafz magazine, and others. She was featured in the UK’s Times Higher Education Supplement and in the Sunday Times “Relative Values”. The author Eileen Kugler, wrote about her, “Dr Hoti’s unwavering commitment and personal peace in (her) work reminds me of great leaders like Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King Jr., I am so privileged to know her!”

Mr. Saleem Ranjha

Muhammad Saleem Ahmad Ranjha is a Founding Director of Akhuwat and is currently Federal Secretary Benazir Income Support Progam.He is on the board of Balochistan’s largest school system in Public Private Partnership, Taaleem Foundation www.taaleem.pk providing English Medium Co-Education, E-Health, E-Learning and E-Skills to more than five thousands boys and girls in tribal Balochistan& KPK. From 2008-2010 he also worked with University of Management and Technology www.umt.edu.pk on sabbatical and helped start Masters and BSc Programs in Agro-Business. Also works very closely with Pakistan premier fashion training and development, Pakistan Institute of Fashion Design www.pifd.edu.pkand its six constituent colleges spread all over country and Punjab Education Endowment Fund, www.peef.org.pk Pakistan biggest endowment fund of Rs. 15 billion which has provided scholarships to more than 100 thousand needy students through the country.

Closely associated with being on their Global Advisory Board, World Congress of Muslim Philanthropists www.thewcmp.org a global group of leading Muslim Donors around the world, They have arranged many such global forums in Istanbul, Qatar, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Kuala Lumpur and Washington DC. He is also on the International Advisory Board of London based publications on Islamic Finance, Global Islamic Finance Report www.gifr.net and Islamic Finance Review www.islamicfinancereview.co . He is also on the Global Board of Istanbul based International Business Forum, a group of Muslim businessmen in more than seventy countries. www.musiad.org.tr He is also on the Board of Lahore Chapter of OPEN i.e. Organization of Pakistani Entrepreneurs.

He joined Central Superior Services in 1984 and has served in Pakistan Inland Revenue Service, Pakistan Customs www.fbr.gov.pk Ministry of Commerce www.commerce.gov.pk Trade Development Authority of Pakistan www.tdap.gov.pk National Vocational and Technical Training Commission NAVTTC www.navttc.gov.pk , Civil Services Academy www.csa.edu.pkMD Pakistan Software Export Board www.pseb.org.pkand Prime Minister’s Secretariat from 2006 to May 2013 (during tenure of five connective Prime Ministers) initially in NAVTTC and later as Joint Secretary Implementation.

He has been part of Pakistan trade negotiation teams with more than thirty countries during 2003-2006. He is widely travelled and has been nominated as Fellow of Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) and Ministry of Economy Trade and Industry (METI) in 2005 and 2008 respectively, and IVLP (Agriculture) for United States State Department in 2011. He was nominated as one of the 100 Business Leaders and Change Makers of Pakistan by Manager Today at CEO Summit Asia 2013 and 2014.

He did his Bachelors in History and Politics from University of Sargodha and subsequently Masters in Public Administration from Punjab University. He has taught in more than twenty five universities and training institutions and has attended or organized more than fifty international conferences and workshops. He has been invited to lectures on Microfinance, E-Learning, Agriculture, Trade Facilitation and Pakistan Economy etc. in conferences and Universities in Africa, United States, UK, India, Thailand, Japan, Vietnam, Turkey and Gulf.

He comes from a agriculturist family and has interests in Agriculture including Citrus Orchards, Dairy Farms, provision of Solar Hydel and Bio Energiesalongwith Bio Fertilizers & Carbon Credits in Agriculture. His other interests include Trade and Investment Networking, Social Media, Social Networking, Coordination among Philanthropic work and E-Learning. He is now working on his family farms using Biogas, Bio Energies, Bio and Compost Fertilizers and In shaa Allah subsequently will be claiming Carbon Credits on farming.

He is spearheading rural development “Wan Miana Model”including Interest Free Micro Finance, primary education, healthcare throughRural Telemedicine Centre (RTMC), Skill building,ICTD training based in local mosque and clean drinking water, Sustainable Agriculture,E-learning, E-Agriculture, E-Villageare being provided to the people of far flung area. Many NPF organizations like Akhuwat, Kawish, POBT, AlKhidmat, E-Village and RSPN are working in this village for the betterment of poor and needy people and making this place as a replicable model for rural development elsewhere.

Working very closely with University of Sargodha www.uos.edu.pk University of Agriculture Faisalabad www.uaf.edu.pk for citrus development and development of mobile apps in agriculture sector, as mentor with LUMS Center for Entrepreneurship www.lce.lums.edu.pk mentor for ICT4D and E-Learning with Information Technology University Lahore www.itu.edu.pk and as a resource person on E-learning with Virtual University www vu.edu.pk

Mr. Tariq Cheema

Tariq Cheema, Convener, Global Donors Forum

Tariq Cheema is a renowned social innovator and philanthropist who has devoted his life to making world a peaceful, equitable, and sustainable place for all. He is the founder of the World Congress of Muslim Philanthropists, a global network of affluent individuals, foundations and socially conscious corporations dedicated to advance effective and accountable giving. He received his M.D. from the University of Istanbul, earned a Certificate of Advanced Study in Philanthropy at Loyola University Chicago, and was awarded fellowships by the Rockefeller Foundation's prestigious Next Generation Leadership Program, the Bellagio Initiative, the Salzburg Global Seminar, the Madinah Institute of Leadership and Entrepreneurship, and the New Westminster College. He holds expertise in the domains of impact philanthropy and investing, strategic corporate giving, value innovation, and crisis management. Dr. Cheema ranks among the 500 most influential Muslims impacting the world today.

Mr. Saeed Akhter Khalique

Management Team

Brigadier (Retired) Sultan Maqsood, Chief Executive Officer

PHd Management Sciences, MS (Defense and Strategic Studies), MSc (Defense and Strategic Studies). Served as Director Doctrine and Evaluation, GHQ and is a visiting faculty member of NUST, Foundation University, AIOU and NUML.

Miss. Saira Said Ahmed, Director Evaluation & Counselling

Masters in English Language Planning and Developmen, Masters in English (Language & Literature). Ex – Director College of Teacher Education and working with KEF since last 20 years.

Mr. Muhammad Kashif, Manager Accounts and Finance

CA – Finalist, MBA (Banking & Finance). More than 7 years experience in the Audit, Accounts and Finance. Formerly worked at SPS (Private) Limited and M/s Riaz Ahmad and Company, Chartered Accountants.