The Pakistan Society Award 2017 was presented by Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh to Syed Babar Ali for his services towards conservation, government, and UK-Pakistan relations. This is the first time that the award has been given to someone not residing in the UK.
A renowned entrepreneur and philanthropist, Syed Babar Ali envisioned and set-up many leading companies of Pakistan, most of which are joint ventures with major multinationals. As an educationist, he led the establishment of the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) in 1985, of which he is the first Pro-Chancellor. In 1992, he founded the Ali Institute of Education for training of primary and secondary school teachers. He is a member of the Boards of the following important educational institutions of Lahore: Aitchison College, Kinnaird College for Women and the Lahore School of Economics. He is also a Founding Member of the South Asia Initiative of Harvard University and the Co-Chair of South Asia Centre for Policy Studies currently based in Nepal. He served as Pakistan’s Minister of Finance, Economic Affairs & Planning in 1993.
Syed Babar Ali promoted the cause of the World Wide Fund for Nature (earlier World Wildlife Fund) where he served in various capacities, both in Pakistan and internationally, from 1972 to 1996. He was International President of WWF from 1996 to 1999 succeeding Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh. He is now Vice President Emeritus, WWF International, and President Emeritus WWF-Pakistan.
Former high commissioner to Pakistan, Sir Nicholas Barrington, said that the award was being given to Syed Babar Ali "for the advancement of public knowledge and understanding of Pakistan in the United Kingdom and beyond".
The Pakistan Society Award was inaugurated in 2004 with the aim to recognise a person or group who has contributed significantly to the advancement of public knowledge and understanding of Pakistan in the UK. The Pakistan Society was founded in 1951 and is based in London. This international organisation has four hundred members of both British and Pakistani origin. The Society aims to increase public knowledge in Britain of the arts, history, geography, economic life and institutions of Pakistan. It does this through a series of lectures, meetings and social events, usually held at the Pakistan High Commission. His Royal Highness Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh and His Excellency Mamnoon Hussain, President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan are the patrons of the Society.
