Beacon Of Light

by Saina Fatima

Ahmad Nawaz’s story serves as a true testament to what every young, bright mind in

Pakistan aiming for the stars.

Born in northern Pakistan, Ahmad Nawaz, attended the Army Public School in Peshawar

during the 2014 Taliban attacks. He witnessed firsthand the deaths and sufferings of his

fellow students and friends, along with his younger brother, Haris.

He had been shot in the arm multiple times by the militants and had to spend weeks on end in

hospitals, after being rescued by Commandos from the Special Services Group of the

Pakistan army. He needed immediate surgery, which at the time could not be arranged in

Peshawar, consequently, he was moved to Birmingham, Britain’s second-largest city for

emergency treatment. After a long road to recovery, Ahmad Nawaz went on to achieve great

success at the tender age of 20.

He remained in Britain after his recovery and in the ensuing 8 years has been part of

numerous major world events and has spoken alongside many Nobel prize winners. He has

delivered speeches in the UK on extremism and its risks and is also a spokesperson for

human rights.

Along with this, he is also the proud recipient of the Point of Light award for his efforts to

help the oppressed, making him the third Pakistani to receive this highly exclusive award.

In his victory speech, Ahmad Nawaz said, “I am deeply honoured to be recognized as a

‘Point of Light’ by the Prime Minister. It has propelled me to do more of the positive work

that I do for society. I would like to encourage other young people to do the same to have a

society free of extremism and violence.”

During his Oxford tenure, Ahmad Nawaz has been elected to the prestigious post of president

of the Oxford debate team, the Oxford Union, earlier this year on the 6th of March, granting

him the honour of being the second Pakistani Muslim debate president after Benazir Bhutto

in 1977.

His expected goal for his presidency is to make everyone feel like they belong, that despite

being from disadvantageous backgrounds they too, can achieve the unthinkable. Just like

him.

He is truly a beacon of light for every individual regardless of their nationalities. Ahmed

Nawaz has shown, that even in real life, dreams do come true with hard work, dedication,

perseverance and unwavering work ethic. Despite being a real-life idol for many, Ahmad

Nawaz’s life story and work will personally resonate with almost every adolescent mind in

Pakistan. Many of whom, may also belong to similar backgrounds, from calamity or povertystricken families and homes. Hence, his story can be viewed as an inspirational story, one that can, in true form motivate young individuals from all around Pakistan to reach for the stars.

Such an arduous event would have broken anyone’s spirit, but what is truly remarkable is the

efforts we put into overcoming life’s obstacles and attempting to achieve the impossible.

Greatness lies within, now it is our responsibility as the people of a nation to reach within and

try our level best.

Like Robin Sharma once said, “Turn the pain of excuses into the seeds of greatness.”